The Dugout Reaction

In a match that proved as frustrating in places as it did brilliant in others, second half goals from Josh Barden and a winner in the last few minutes by substitute Jack Holliday saw Rangers collect their first three points of the new decade.

Speaking to KDRAFC Media after the game, Manager Dan Marshall commented on several issues. Here is what he had to say ...

About the match itself.

I thought that we started the match really well and we’re the better side for the first 15-20 minutes and looked the more likely to score. I felt the sending off changed the first half, as you would expect Hartshead raised their game, we stopped playing football, became frustrated and started to play to direct which played into their hands.

During the break, we spoke about moving the ball quicker, looking for the gaps between the lines. I wanted the team to ask a few more questions, and they did.

We asked individuals to accept responsibility and make things happen, we had some really big performances, I thought John Large & Joe Turley were superb. Josh Barden and Joe Wilks also put in big shifts and Jack Holliday who has had to be patient recently changed the game with his twenty minute cameo with an assist for the first goal and the winner. That’s what you want from your squad, it’s not just the first eleven, it’s all of the players in the match day squad that need to contribute.

We asked individuals to accept responsibility and make things happen, we had some really big performances.

On winning ugly, but winning.

It was a big win today, we were all disappointed with the result last week, we should have been 4 or 5-1 at half-time, but we’re didn’t take our chances and to then conceded a later equaliser was a tough one to take. But we’ve scored a late winner against Hartshead and based on our second half performance we deserved this against a good side who I expect to be challenging at the top of the table at the end of the season.

On the injury to Jonty Smith.

To lose Jonty at half-time, due to an injury he picked up at the end of the first half was a blow. He managed to make it to half-time, but it was obvious he couldn’t continue and Chris (Plews) took over in goal and did a good job for us.

Missing players and having to adapt.

It’s not perfect, but at this stage of the season you kind of expect it. We are missing some players that influence the way we play, but you have to give credit to players like Josh Barden, who we’ve asked to go back up top in Charlie’s absence and he’s done really well.

Josh Bhandal unfortunately picked up an injury just as he had established himself in the side and was playing very well and you do miss players of his calibre.

On the plus side Rob Holliday has returned after missing a few games and we’ve asked him to play more central in Bhandal’s absence.

Josh Bhandal unfortunately picked up an injury just as he had established himself in the side and was playing very well and you do miss players of his calibre.

On Jake Little.

Jake’s is a player we rate very highly, he had a good season last year with the reserves and has stepped up this year, we’ve told him that we aren’t judging him on how many goals he scores, we are looking at his work-rate and endeavour which are superb. The goals will come, but there is no pressure on him, he deserved to start the last three games and he’s a player that we have high hopes for.

Dan is kindly sponsored by: