After Tuesday's victory over Bury Town (report HERE), I spoke to Needham Manager Kevin Horlock, who reflected on the game and previewed both the Felixstowe friendly on Friday, and also looked ahead briefly to the league opener away to AFC Rushden + Diamonds.
DK: A nice 4-0 win over the local rivals!
KH: What did I make of it? Yeah, look it's pleasing, obviously pre-season still I know, but winning's a habit, so we want to perform well and I thought tonight, I thought we did. We bought Trialist 7 in at the 12th hour, I thought he played really well tonight, added a different dimension to us. So to get four goals, and a clean sheet, no injuries, so it's yeah it's been a good night for us tonight!
DK: As you say Trialist 7 was unlucky to have a hat-trick, himself, on another night!
KH: Yeah, he's been a little bit rushed in terms of I've only met him today, and we've obviously agreed a deal for him to come across to us, then threw him in the starting (eleven). I think it's important that new players obviously get minutes, and get to know what we're about, but I thought he's an unbelievable footballer. (He) takes care of the football, gets in really good areas, and yeah on another day he could have scored a couple, but I'll take that from him getting in them areas, because there's no doubt that the lad's going to do well and score goals for us.
DK: It was the perfect preparation, for obviously we've got Felixstowe still to come on Friday, but also the Rushden game, Saturday following, with Trialist 15 getting another goal, Trialist 11 getting another goal and Trialist 14 getting his first Needham goal as well.
KH: Yeah look, you want goals in your team, and if they can be shared around then that's great, but you want your centre-forward scoring, which is good for Trialist 15. Obviously Seth scored the other day as well, I think pre-season's just about getting the balance right, in terms
of you don't always want to blitz teams and win games, like we have done comfortably tonight. You want games where we obviously was up against it against Ipswich, it was too early, we didn't have a squad together. We've not played well in certain games, Braintree being one of them, but it's about getting that timing right, and getting a mixture of games and results, and hopefully the time is right. We look good tonight, so hopefully we can do that again on Friday against Felixstowe, and obviously get prepared and ready for the first league fixture.
DK: As we talked about, they were well worked goals tonight, obviously that's something that you're hoping will transpire into league games.
KH: Yeah, look there was no denying the fact that we were trying to bring players in the forward areas. Obviously we lost Pagey (Callum Page) and Harvey Sayer, obviously on loan going back to the parent clubs. Fowkesy, obviously
moving on to Braintree, Ingers (Luke Ingram) having the injury, so we were in need of reinforcement in forward areas. Obviously I think Trialist 11's come in and been a revelation, if he continues like this I'm probably going to struggle to keep hold of him, because he's tore it up, so he's been a massive positive. Obviously Trialist 7's come in today, Trialist 15's come in and scores goals and added to the group. Obviously Seth (Chambers) has come in and scored goals, and we know what a future Seth could have. So it's been about time in pre-season, obviously the season is coming upon us, but I haven't panicked in signing anybody. I've got signed the right players for this group, right players football wise and mentality, which I think we have, and I think everyone's hopefully looking forward to the season! We'll see the fruits of our labour, in terms of the squad we've put together, I'm hoping for a big season for us!
DK: Would you call it a clinical performance tonight?
KH: Yeah, I think so! I think we could have scored more, I think at half time, I did say that was one thing that we were missing the first half, we wasn't clinical enough. We create chance and it should have been four or five, and I
don't think anyone could have argued, but we got the goals in the end, it could have been more but it was a controlled performance. I don't think they ever really troubled us, we looked dominant, and we look dangerous going forward. So, yeah it was pleasing!
DK: Is this the full squad now are you looking for any more?
KH: Potentially one more, we'll see I'll probably know over the next couple of days, or 24 hours. If that doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen, but I think maybe one more at some point, but like I said I'm not going to rush into anything. It's got to be the right player for this football club, it's got to be the right player football wise, mentality, work ethic, training attitude and everything. Them players ain't always just hanging around everywhere, you've got to be patient and wait for that right person, so that's what I'll do. Obviously there's options of loans as well, and obviously the good young players that Manty's bringing through the 23s, so I'm a pretty lucky manager in that respect, I'm not going to make any knee jerk reactions on
signing anybody. It'll have to be the right player.
DK: Looking forward to the Felixstowe game, will you see it as a similar type of game to tonight?
KH: Look, it's the last (friendly) game obviously, by Friday we're also then looking forward to the first league game of season - obviously lads are vying for places in the team, l so I imagine it will be a similar game (to) tonight, in terms of two local teams willing to win, but it's just putting the final touches to what we're going to do first game of the
season. And hopefully, we'll be ready to go. Hopefully, I'll have a full squad to pick from come the first league game.
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