MOTM Jamie McGrath reflects on last night's win at Bloomfields.
JMcG: Yeah, delighted to be fair. We knew this was a massive game, they're up there in the league, so to come away with a relatively comfortable 3-0 was absolutely delightful.
DK: Yeah, you started the scoring with a superb goal.
JMcG: Yeah, to be honest it was a great team goal. We moved the ball really well. Lots of quick, intricate passes around the box and then thankfully I was able to find the bottom right hand corner!
DK: A very clinical performance from us tonight.
JMcG: Yeah, I think so. But even saying that, I feel like we could have had a couple more goals, keeper made a couple of saves. But yeah, overall, a delightful 3-0.
DK: Would you say it was a comfortable win?
JMcG: Yeah, I think so. I mean, yeah, I think they've dropped off slightly in form and maybe that showed tonight, but, you know, they're still going to be a strong side, so to come away with a comfortable victory is excellent.
DK: And now we're eight points clear.
JMcG: Yeah, obviously that's nice, but we try not to look at that too much. It's just take it game by game. But yeah, it's obviously a great position to be in.
DK: When was the last time you looked at the table?
JMcG: Probably last night. No, I'm joking. But obviously we're aware of the situation we're in. But yeah, we try not to pay too much attention to it.
DK: Fourteen goals in all competitions now for you this season, flying.
JMcG: Yeah, it's nice. I think particularly this calendar year really sort of hits some kind of form in front of goal. So yeah, it's just nice to be in that sort of form and continue that tonight.
DK: Currently our league top scorer. Any more in you?
JMcG: Hopefully, yeah. I mean, we've still got seven games to play, so I'd like to think there's more. But, you know, as long as anyone scores, anyone chips in, that's all that matters.
DK: Back on the road on Saturday, a nice long trip.
JMcG: Yeah, but you know, we're used to that. We have that quite often. So just go there and try and do the business again.
Nathan Munson reflects on last night's 3-0 win.
DK: Another nice 3-0 win, you must be pleased?
NM: Yeah, absolutely, delighted with it to be honest with you. They've had a good season, Redditch is obviously up in the playoffs, and to beat them convincingly 3-0, you couldn't say that we didn't deserve the three points, we're absolutely delighted with that.
DK: Yeah, three well-taken goals as well.
NM: Yeah, absolutely, Jamie looks so composed when he gets into those sort of positions, it was quite a nice link-up play actually with the passing the ball around well, got Jamie into the box and that was, you know, a good time to score the first, the second one was nice play, not sure Seth knew too much about it to be fair, but it was, I mean, he had a fantastic game, he was, you know, his aggression was spot-on today, he was excellent and just rewards for him. And then the third, Ingers has picked it up from distance and drove in, and I mean, I think it was going in anyway to be honest, but it looked like a deflection, three excellent goals, well-deserved. We saw out of the game, probably could have had one or two more, but pretty comfortable winning.
DK: Yeah, eight points clear is the most important thing as well.
NM: Yeah, eight points clear, I think, were Mickleover who were second, so, you know, really tough game away at Bromsgrove, we've got a chance to extend that gap again, well, we got left seven games to the end of the season. So, yeah, it's a lovely position to be in, the boys are focused, really good to see Keiran back tonight, no reaction from the injury, of course, Hammo comes into the squad available again Saturday, so we've got ourselves into a nice position, I'd say.
DK: Yeah, apart from having Jake and Reece injured, we've got near enough everyone back.
NM: Yeah, yeah, I think so, obviously a big miss for Jake, he's had such a fantastic season and, you know, the way he's come on and improved and strengthened, his commitment is phenomenal, he's been excellent and I think with his mental attitude, he'll be back better, I've absolutely no doubt he'll be back better, stronger towards the end of this season, whether or not he quite gets there, I don't know, but certainly through a good pre-season on to next season. So, yeah, we're in quite good shape as we get to this point in the season, the business end of the season.
DK: 16 home games here, two draws, 14 wins, superb.
NM: Is that what it is, yeah, yeah, and I don't think there's too many goals conceded in there either. If you look at the stats, five goals conceded. Yeah, yeah, that's an incredible, I mean, it's astonishing, isn't it? But, I mean, you defend as a team, absolutely, but I have to say, defensively as a unit, our goalkeeper and back four are absolutely fantastic, you know, in a great season and that's harder and, again, it's the reason we come for. Marcus has had to make, you know, a couple of important saves, second-half dive to his left, which I think he saw that quite nicely and had a good read on it and then late on when the lads tried to lob him, he just touched it wide, you know, great save, but he does that, he does that week in, week out.
DK: Those are the games you love as a goalkeeper, not much to do, but when called upon you're there.
NM: Yeah, I mean, I think the more you have to do the better, actually. So, in the best games to play in you make loads of saves and you win. But, yeah, it's also quite nice and, you know, for the purist, if you just have a couple of saves to make, like you say, that you haven't been, you know, in the thick of the action, but when you do what's called for you, it's quite rewarding when you can't address the thing, you haven't done the job.
DK: Yeah, another clean sheet as well.
NM: I was counting up, I think we're at 25 for the season now, which is phenomenal. I mean, I've never known a season that I've been involved in where we've got so many clean sheets. It's fantastic and if we can keep going with a few more, that would be some record for Needham to be fair that many in the course of the season.
DK: Yeah, across the pitch, we've been consistent in all areas.
NM: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, it's a squad thing. We've got players that have come in and done a good job for us throughout the course of the season and we saw that, you know, again tonight. We've got Eddie coming on, we've got Byron coming on, we've got Hugh coming on, we've got Ollie coming on Saturday. So, I mean, it really is a squad thing and we're going to need those players towards the end of the season. And then, of course, some of the younger ones, they'll be thinking I want to stake a claim at whatever level we're playing at next season, I'll be really involved.
DK: We've talked about the defensive qualities we've shown this season, but attacking-wise, we've got Ingram on, over 10 goals. We've got Jamie on 14 all competitions. We've got Seth with 20, if that was his goal. That's something that we've missed.
NM: Yeah, I mean, I think it was. I don't know if we've got a veo or anything. I thought it was his goal. But, yeah, it's always nice when you get a number of players that are weighing in with goals you're saying because, I mean, he does it. He's been doing that this season. Seth's come in, he's added Jamie. He's so cultured when he gets into those sorts of areas. Milzy's come in with one or two. I think Dan has got a fair few or so I recall from centre-half as well. So, we've got goals in us as a team this year and I think in previous seasons that hasn't always been the case. Defensively, we might be quite strong, but we just don't really look that threatening, whereas this season we've really looked threatening, and then the number of games we've really dominated and then we've put our chances away, which makes it so much easier.
DK: I know we're not there yet, but the season so far, how would you describe it?
NM: Yeah, I mean, it's been a really good season so far. But, like you say, we're at stage where we've just put ourselves in a good position. We're in a cup final and we're very well placed in the league, but it's just a good position. We've got the hard work to do, but we've given ourselves a really good chance. I mean, as Tom just said to the lads in the dressing room, Bromsgrove on Saturday away will be a very, very tough match. I think the managers changed not long ago. They were not a bad run. So, all of our focus is on to Saturday. Can we get a point? Can we get three points? Can we get a clean sheet? You know, we set ourselves some standards. Can we get that done? And then we'll look at where we're at and then we'll work hard and get set for the next match and then the one after that and that's what we'll do.
DK: Yeah, I'm not sure we've had a great lot of results when we've went there. So, it'd be important to get one.
NM: Yeah, it's a really tough place to go. I think it's non league day, so there'll be a big crowd anyway, but they'll have a really big crowd for that with league leaders coming to town. It's a big event for them. The pitch is not the best, if I'm honest. I think it's quite undulated and it'll be patchy and it won't be firmed up. So, it won't be easy. But we've had a nice position this season. We've been able to outplay sides from what I've seen. We've also been able to dig in and fight. I've been able to do that too as well. So, we've got both sides to our game. So, I think we'll be able to draw on that on Saturday and be hard to beat. And then when we go forward, we're going to play some nice passages of football. It might only be for a few minutes or what have you, but I'm confident we'll create opportunities.
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