DK: Nice to keep the winning streak going!
DM: Yeah, pre-season's one of those, you know, games aren't exactly the highest quality, you don't necessary play every game well, you're missing people, people are on holiday and whatever else, but winning's an important thing, it's an important habit to keep going, so it's good. That's the fourth win of pre-season, third clean sheet, we may not have wiped the floor with a lower league opponent like maybe we are expected to do - or we should expect to do - but we controlled the game, never really looked in danger, but we'd like to be a bit more free flowing and score a few more goals tonight, but I think you have to take it you know, you accept it, it's part of pre-season. You don't necessarily play well, you miss players, and things aren't necessarily going to fall into place straight away, but like you say 4 wins so that's an important thing, one we should focus on and take away those positives, three clean sheets and in amongst it we have scored a few goals in the earlier games, when we've had a few more players available. I don't think we've got anything to be sad about, that's for sure, so carry on going.
DK: Very much still a controlling performance?
DM: Yeah, I think so, don't think they had a shot on goal, maybe from like 25-yards or so maybe in the first half, don't think they did in the second half especially, so don't get me wrong we didn't necessarily keep the ball well in the first half, we didn't dominate as we maybe should've done but I don't think we're ever really under much threat, which is a good thing I suppose and we would've liked to have played better, but we'll play worse some sort of time, I'm sure, the main thing is if we play like that when we're in our league we'll get punished for it so maybe get those bad performances out of the way and get ready for the league on August the 5th, that's when it really counts!
DK: It must've felt nice being captain and lifting that trophy?
DM: Yeah, it's always nice to stand in captain, whenever Keiran's not here or is injured, or for whatever reason he's away, so it's always nice to be captain for the day. I always enjoy it, and yeah, winning as captain is a nice feeling!
DK: Do you think this year, we could get playoffs?
DM: Yeah, I don't see why not, I think I think when everyone is back from holiday, back fit, we've got a strong squad. We've got a competitive squad, we've got a team of men, we've had a young side out the last two games, I think that's mainly because of the people we have away, I think when it comes to the first game of the season we'll have an experienced strong squad with a lot of options and I think we're set up quite nicely for the season. I think in our league the way people tend to play football, you have to be strong, you have to be aggressive, you have to be willing to fight for 90 minutes and so the fact we've got strength in depth, and we've got a real team of experienced players will see us in good stead I think, we can reach for the stars and hopefully land in the playoffs.
DK: Saturday will probably be our toughest test before the league kicks off.
DM: Yeah, Braintree will likely be a good game, I'm sure they'll be looking to get something out of it, I hope they'll hope for a good game from us as well. I think the game on Saturday, against Felixstowe played quite well, to be fair to them, I know we had a lot of players missing, maybe five young lads in the starting eleven in the first half, then more in the second half, but I thought Felxistowe played quite well at times and it was a shame that we didn't have a stronger squad for that game maybe, because that would've been a good game I think if we would've had a better team, it would've been a better game for the neutral, maybe been better better than what it was, and hopefully Braintree's like that. Hopefully we get a few more back from holidays, a couple that have been struggling with niggles, hopefully they're back in and we can give Braintree a good game, a good test, and test ourselves, and look forward to playing against higher opposition.
DK: Happy with the squad so far?
DM: Yeah, I think so, there's quite a few players, like I say, we've got a few players that are missing. Some players haven't played many minutes yet in pre-season, and hopefully we still have time just, we've got another another 3 games, so hopefully they get plenty of minutes in the games to come. And I think when everyone's here, I think we've got a good team and we can do well.
DK: Have you had a look at the league fixtures?
DM: I've seen the ones that the club have posted, I've looked for Christmas and New Year - just to see what's happening as you tend do, but I think we've got quite a tough start possibly. You say a tough start, you don't know what any team in the league is going to be about each year, until you play them, you don't really know who's good and who's bad until about December time typically, so there's a lot of turnover. Some teams are strong one year not the other, so it looks a tough start to me on paper, but that's a good thing. I think if we go into that and come out with a good start against supposedly tough opposition, then it's good. But I think we'll all look forward to the challenge of supposedly a tough start, so looking forward to it.
DK: How do you think pre-season has been so far?
DM: It's been a different one for me, I've been away a bit myself, so I was away the start of the summer - first four or five weeks I was away, so I've sort of felt like I came back and I was straight into pre-season, haven't really had much time at home. It's been tough I suppose, straight into the games, I've played 90 minutes in the first four games, which I've needed most probably, like I said I've been away so most probably means I've been eating lots of food and maybe not as fit as I need to be for the start of the season. I quite enjoy pre-season, getting ready to go for the start of the season, it's all about getting minutes in your legs, some running in the training sessions and getting ready to go. It's all about August the 5th, whatever happens in pre-season, win, lose or draw, it doesn't really matter - it's about fitness, minutes in the tank, and building a togetherness and positivity within the dressing room, ready for the start of the season.
DK: Yeah, it's important to retify the wrongs from last year.
DM: Yeah, I think it's what everyone wants to do, obviously you want to improve year on year, so I think we've had good teams over the years and maybe not performed as well in the league, as what we should've done. We've done well in the cup competitions obviously, but we've never really transformed that consistency into the league, we can be great and beat Conference (National League) sides, but then we can play a lesser side in step 3 and not turn up. I think that's what we're looking to get this year, consistency by having strong players and having a strong squad, we can get that hopefully.
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