MANAGER: We earned the outcome we received…
Following the defeat against Cheltenham at Brunton Park, Manager Paul Simpson shared his thoughts.
“In matches like these, the initial goal holds immense significance—any goal is consequential,” he expressed. “We cannot anticipate such a mistake; it’s an astounding blunder. However, the overall performance was subpar throughout. The crowd’s boos were justified because our performance was lackluster on all fronts.
“They exhibited more determination to reach the ball and were more competitive. Their game plan was straightforward—put it behind the defense, turn, and compete for the ball and second chances. Unfortunately, we failed to execute these basics, fundamental to any level of football.
“In essence, they outplayed us, and we received exactly what we deserved. Despite excluding the mistake, our performance was deserving of the outcome. We simply weren’t up to par.”
“We delivered crosses into the box, particularly from set plays, but failed to capitalize on them,” he continued. “We had opportunities inside their six-yard box, but they consistently won the first touch. In the first half, we found ourselves in positions to shoot from 30 yards out against the wind.
“The decision-making overall was lamentably poor. The significant letdown is that following a decent performance against Northampton last week, today’s performance fell well below the League One standard and our expectations for this team. It’s a major disappointment.
“They maintained their lead and had a couple of half chances in the first half. The conceded goal was truly shocking. I’m tired of scrutinizing mistakes. We’ve been consistently making errors, essentially gifting goals. If we were to review all the goals conceded this season, it would resemble a horror reel. We’re not doing enough to secure results, and consequently, being second from the bottom is fully deserved.”
The manager acknowledged the support of the fans, with over 7,500 home supporters present at Brunton Park: “The fans were fantastic, but today we let them down, plain and simple. The performance level was far below expectations.
“I could hear them urging us to retain possession and compete, but these should be givens. Players shouldn’t need prompting for such basics. Unfortunately, we failed to deliver across the entire pitch.
“We committed individual errors and were careless in possession. Even the substitutes we brought on couldn’t spark a reaction or infuse energy into the performance. It’s a significant letdown.
“Today was a game we desperately wanted and needed to win, especially at home. Having over 7,000 supporters at this time of year is truly fantastic, and they deserve immense credit today. Regrettably, as a team, we don’t deserve any credit. We need to wake up very quickly.”
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