Paul Carden sits down to discuss the results against Radcliffe, Sandbach United and the Warrington squad.聽
Hi all, hope you鈥檙e well.
The Radcliffe game was one of those games where you think missed chances will come back to bite you on the backside. We showed a lot of good composure at times and dealt with a lot of threat which came in long throws, free kicks and balls being thrown into the box for their forwards and centre halves to get to.
You鈥檝e got to deal with those things in games and I thought we did really well. There鈥檚 a few games similar where we鈥檝e suffered late on from missed chances. But the clean sheet was pleasing and obviously to get the three points and back to winning ways was very pleasing.
When you watch Jordan Buckley play, you never really appreciate the true player until you see them up close in training and what their flaws are and what their strengths are. He has a controlled touch, the ability to go past people and he鈥檚 got tricks. He鈥檚 obviously got that pace and that size and hopefully the goal last week is a big sign of things to come as I certainly believe that he鈥檚 destined for really good things in the game.
The Cheshire Senior Cup was always going to be difficult. I think they had about four pitch inspections in the day. You know the pitch is going to be difficult for both teams. Thankfully, there were no injuries on the back of it, which is the main thing.
I wasn鈥檛 happy first half. It was a game, without sounding daft, that we should be winning with the side that we had out and with players with their experience. In those type of games, it can make it harder by going away from what you normally do and that鈥檚 what we did. We weren鈥檛 stretching the game and we were trying to pass short all of the time in our half on a pitch that was sticky and muddy in certain areas. We weren鈥檛 playing to how we should cope with the conditions.
In the second half, we came out and we were much better. We were much more like us, much more aggressive in our play and got the goals that we deserved. They had a couple of good chances which were saved well by Marcus Burgess.
Will Harris got a goal and a couple of good moves which will do him no harm. It was pleasing to get a good win and for a couple of lads to get good game time which was needed, so it was a good game all around.
In the league, I think the way the season has been is the same for a lot of clubs. You can look at South Shields at the top who have stretched it a little bit, but they haven鈥檛 had it plain sailing. In and around when we played them, they weren鈥檛 having a great run themselves and they lost a couple and had some unexpected results. Any time they drop points, it鈥檚 unexpected.
I鈥檓 just pleased that we鈥檙e getting the squad back. We have been stretched and people have been opinionated over letting people go and when we鈥檙e letting them go, but you鈥檝e got to be looking past what鈥檚 in front of you in terms of knowing what players are coming back. I think we let a few players go and we believe that the squad now is getting back to full strength. That鈥檚 what the plan always was, to be in and around the play-offs and we are right now. I feel we are in a good position in the strength in the squad and ready to keep moving if we can.
Josh Amis is going well. He鈥檚 working hard on his fitness and he鈥檚 been doing a lot of running which is good. He鈥檚 had very little reaction, which we were expecting a little of, but no, so he鈥檚 not too far off. Jordan Buckley felt his hamstring last week but should be okay, and everybody else came through Tuesday and I鈥檓 expecting a full turnout tonight at training.
We signed Scott Brown on an initial 28-day loan, and I think Saturday is his last of the initial 28. I spoke to Harrogate last week and they鈥檙e happy to extend his loan. Scott is enjoying playing and we鈥檙e enjoying having him. He鈥檚 been quality for us and we鈥檒l get better the more games he plays and the more the team work with him. He鈥檚 a great lad, and gets on with the team. He鈥檚 enjoying his football and when you鈥檝e got a good player who鈥檚 enjoying his football, you get an even better player.
See you at Stafford,
Paul.
