The Dugout Reaction.

A below par second-half performance by Rangers saw them concede a late goal to hand hosts and rivals Wetherby Athletic a point in a two all draw.

Following the game, First Team Coach Ben Lawrence spoke to the club’s media team about the game and other issues.

Here is what he had to say.

About the game.

“We’re disappointed to have conceded a late goal, but if you look at the game as a whole, we have created chance after chance but didn’t take them. We played some lovely football in the first half but in the second half we were very bitty. I think that that the lads played the occasion and not the game at certain parts and in got into a bit of a dogfight. We could see what was going to happen and it did, so for the final few minutes they (Wetherby Athletic) had their tails up and we look deflated, so yes disappointed with the final outcome, but not parts of the performance.”

So yes disappointed with the final outcome, but not parts of the performance.

“You have to say fair play to Wetherby because they dug in and made it hard for us. They didn’t give up and put in a shift and sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say “we can do better.” Going forward we have to learn from these mistakes and take the solutions into the next game.”

“It was a typical derby game, there is always a scrappy element to this kind of match and we saw it again today. It’s always been the same, even when I was playing in them, both teams work hard and make life difficult for each other. I said to Dan when we were talking about the team that it would be another difficult game, and it turned out to be just that. You also got to say that both Matt (Barnfather) and Mick (O’Toole) have got a team that is playing for the shirt and that always makes for a hard team to beat as well.”

On not getting the rub of the green with another shot hitting the crossbar, and then the penalty appeal for the foul on Joe Turley not being awarded.

“I thought it was a penalty, and I think the referee looked at it, but to be fair it’s one of those that some referees will give and others won’t, so it was one of those decisions that you either get or not.”

“The hitting of the post or crossbar is beginning to get on my nerves as well, but again it’s one of those things in football. I’m hoping that it means that once we click in front of goal someone is going to get a drubbing because they will all go in!!”

On another frustrating game for our strikers.

“Yeah, we’ve had a few and they always seem to be together. Looking at this match, Wetherby’s back three put their bodies on the line, they were chucking themselves in front of the ball and their emergency tackling was superb. On the flip side of that, we need to be a bit more streetwise in just moving the ball away from someone when they are chucking themselves in and then use pace. We are trying too many touches and fancy flicks when we need to be a bit more direct.”

On the flip side of that, we need to be a bit more streetwise in just moving the ball away from someone when they are chucking themselves in and then use pace.

On the character of the team and how they build for the Hartshead game.

“They are massively disappointed with the result, it’s not a happy changing room to say the least. We are always disappointed when we drop points, especially when we have had the lead and concede right at the death. It does knock the stuffing out of you and it can feel like a defeat, which it does today. We have to look at the positives however and remember that we got a point from the game which could be vital at the end of the season.”

“The lads will prepare themselves for the next match, they know how they feel at the moment and I’m sure that they won’t want to feel like that again. They will take this disappointment into next week and hopefully put in a performance against Hartshead next Saturday.”

“To be honest I was disappointed that this fixture was scheduled for today, both teams were missing players that could have influenced the game more and both teams were probably sluggish from too much Christmas cheer, you want this kind of match to have their best teams out, playing their best football.”

You want this kind of match to have their best teams out, playing their best football.

Ben putting the Rangers through their paces pre match.

Ben is kindly sponsored by: