Kevin Horlock and Tevan Allen react to last night's league win at Stamford.
REACTION | KEVIN HORLOCK POST MATCH INTERVIEW | STAMFORD AFC 0-3 NEEDHAM MARKET | 24.10.2023 | THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL PREMIER DIVISION |
Manager Kevin Horlock reflects on last night's return to league action.
DK: Back to league action in ideal fashion.
KH: Yeah, it was a good performance tonight, obviously we had the highs and the disappointment of the FA Cup, but I asked the lads to just try and get over it as soon as we can and get back to what they've done all season, and that's performing to a really high level. And I thought to come here on a Tuesday night, a team one place above us, albeit they've had a couple of extra games, and to win in the way we did we were dominant. I think if anyone had come and said it was 4/5 it wouldn't have been hard on them, because we had chances, I think there was a goal in the first half - which the ref openly said he made a mistake - so yeah it was a really good performance from front to back. We defended well, like we have done all season, and looked really dangerous, and played some really good football tonight, so I'm really pleased!
DK: Very clinical and another clean sheet!
KH: Yeah, look I said it all along I think the plaudits will always go to the lads who score goals, and created things but the back 4, Marco and the lads in front of that work so hard, and are the reason why we're winning games. They give us that platform to go on and win games, and when we defend like that and are clinical it's a good combination, and it will more often get you three points than not.
DK How important was it after the York game to return to how we were in the league?
KH: It was important, of course, but I didn't worry about it - the lads not turning up - sometimes there can be a dip, and I understand that, but this group are different. I'll say it again, they're the best group I've had, they work hard for each other and I didn't doubt that they'd be a dip, I knew we'd come out firing, and we played some really good stuff. Obviously missed Dan tonight, and Jake's slotted in alongside Keiran and you'd have thought he'd have played there all his life, back 4 were unbelievable and the lads ahead of that showed guile, showed guts and determination, and we scored some great goals. I know from the untrained eye it'll probably look like taps in on the back post, but we work on that finishing areas, getting in areas to score goals exactly like what we scored tonight, so that's pleasing as well!
DK: Were the manner of the goals something that was spoken about?
KH: We talk about it all the time, we've obviously been scoring a few goals, but often we're not in the areas that we need to be, and we've worked on it, spoke about it, and today lads arrived in the areas that needed to and they got tap ins. It's not coincidence, it's not fluke, it's something that we've looked to add to our final third, entries into the box and chances, so it all came together tonight!
DK: Ollie got his first senior goal!
KH: Yeah, made up for him, obviously he's going to be one heck of a player, obviously he's still young, still learning the trade, but I had no doubts he'd get there to the level we're playing at, and beyond, he's a terrific talent, so it's always pleasing when a young lad gets his first goal at senior level. He'll cherish that and remember that for the rest of his life, but he's got loads more to come!
DK: Tonight it didn't feel like it's been a month since our last league game!
KH: No, no it didn't! Has it actually been that long? Wow, yeah look, the lads took off exactly where we left off, playing to a high level, giving everything, dying for the cause, and they're willing to improve, and again we're in there and got more to give. This isn't us, we're not the finished article, and I said it's nice people saying really nice things about us, their manager said we're the best team they've played. That's lovely to hear, but we'll rest and recuperate and look back on how good we've been at the end of the season, not during it.
DK: Is it scary how we're going so far?
KH: No, I know the potential, I know we're capable of what we're doing, the big question is can we keep that momentum going, can we be consistent with it, so far we have been but there's still a long way to go.
DK: It'll be nice on Saturday having everyone back available, with Dan back from suspension.
KH: Yeah, it's always nice to have a full squad obviously, the squad's in a good place in terms of I think the lads recognise playing are playing well, doing well, and the subs that came on I thought they were good again. I thought they affected the game, they have to come on and affect it to give themselves a chance of starting, because I don't care how old you are, or how young you are, how experienced you are, if you're doing well you'll more often than not keep your place in the team. So we've got competition for places, we've got players that can play in different positions, we're a threat, we're going well, we're full of confidence, but we're not done.
DK: Moving onto Saturday, Royston away will be another tough game.
KH: Yeah, we always have tough games against Royston, more often than not we often come out on the losing side (away), so we generally play quite well at Royston, so I'll be looking to put that right where hopefully we can come away with 3 points. There's normally quite a lot of goals, so hopefully they're all in our favour and we keep another clean sheet! Clean sheets give you chance to win games, obviously our goals against record is very good at the moment, hopefully that will continue, but we are going to concede at times, but we look at the minute that we've got goals to outscore teams as well, so we're in a good place!
DK: Is it frightening that going into tonight's game we're fifth in both home and away form tables?
KH: I'd love it to be higher than that, if I'm honest, and hopefully it will improve and we'll get better. The home games are the ones they always say you need to win and pick points up away when you can, but we seem to be doing both at the minute. So I'm not going to grumble, I'm not going to jinx it, or say anymore on it.
DK: Are you currently hailed as a genius for the summer signings?
KH: I don't know, I think they were astute, and a lot of that goes to Tom as well, because Tom does his homework and we get our heads together, what do we need, they've been brilliant, probably exceeded what I first imagined. When new players are coming in it's sometimes difficult to fit in and get up to speed, but they've took to the group, the group have took to them, they've got the same work ethic, they're good lads, which is important as well, but more importantly they're good players so they fit into the football club really well!
DK: One of them Tev was pretty much MOTM tonight, a goal and an assist!
KH: Yeah, he's been unbelievable, scored again tonight, he's got that infectious personality where he drives others on, and he's full of energy. He asked questions of the defenders just by running beyond them, and when he ends up in areas like he did tonight he's going to get his fair share of goals, so I'm made up for him. I just hope his hamstring was a little bit tight, so I'm hoping that's not too bad and he'll be fit for Saturday!
DK: Is it a perfect performance, nothing to be critical of?
KH: It's a difficult one to criticize, I must admit, because defensively we blocked everything that we had to, we could've scored more, we should've scored more. Obviously the header from Keiran wasn't a foul, but we could've been more clinical and I think if we'd scored 6 tonight I think no-one could've begrudged us.
REACTION | TEVAN ALLEN POST MATCH INTERVIEW | STAMFORD AFC 0-3 NEEDHAM MARKET | 24.10.2023 | THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL PREMIER DIVISION |
Goalscorer and MOTM Tevan Allen reflects on last night's victory.
DK: Nice to get back into league with a win!
TA: Yes, I think, everyone will say it as well, it was a very professional performance, we come in first half nobody panicked at 0-0. I think they had spells, but we rode it out and I think it's perfect when you come away from home, it's a perfect result. Three goals, none conceded, think we played really well, going forward it could've been 4 or 5, and at the back we were unbelievable as always. Even with Dan not being here, Jake filling in, didn't feel any different - like I say it's a credit to the lads, sticking to the task and great win overall!
DK: You must be pleased to get a goal and an assist yourself?
TA: Yeah, it's unfortunate that I had to come off injured, I'm not too sure what I've done, but I injured myself when I went I scored, so hopefully in the coming days we'll find out exactly what happened, but yeah really pleased again. Found out a good stat, that apparently I'm joint top goalscorer, which is absolutely unheard of for me, so that's new terrority. Yeah, just keep thriving with it, just keep pushing like the whole team does really. It's good to come back to the league, we said before the game this is a real marker, a real marker performance that it's not that we're not to be messed with, but we're serious about what we're doing now, and at the moment we'll take all the plaudits, but we won't ever get too high, never be too low, so we'll keep grounded, keep humble, keep doing what we're doing and hopefully the performances can show.
DK: Is tonight one where the hopes and expectations from pre-season starting to flourish?
TA: Yeah, I think we all had the belief that we can do this, what we are doing at the moment, some may say we are overachieving, which is perfectly fine, but I think we're just a reflection of how we've been playing, and how we've stucked together and it shows that a group of players that can come together, and that can grind out results, and just play well can go and do whatever we want. So, hopefully we just keep doing that, and continue to do what we do.
DK: It was 3rd v 4th going into tonight's game, and we arguably dominated.
TA: Yeah, we wouldn't look at that, I don't think we look at anything in the league tables, I think people buy into the hype of it too much, we've just got to steadily do what we do and grind out (Luke Ingram: Nice to get a win!) performances, and make sure everything's good enough in our camp, and don't really focus on anyone else. So, again where they are in the league, they're still a good club, it's a good setup, but we've just come today and just had a very good performance. Same again Saturday hopefully!
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