Manager Kevin Horlock reflects on last night's game.
DK: Good win tonight, you must be happy with that?
KH: Yeah, it was a good performance to be fair. I thought we moved the ball really well obviously. They've scored a great goal early on, a good strike obviously, and then from that moment we sort of dominate possession. Moved the ball with real purpose, good movement and scored six really good goals. I suppose the only negative on the night is we could have scored more, then maybe we should have and conceded in a second where we just get a little bit sloppy late on. Overall, I'm really pleased.
I was able to rotate a little bit. We have got some missing again tonight, but we've got more minutes in people's legs and we're starting to look sharp. Pre-season is going quite well.
DK: As we're getting on with pre-season, more and more goals are coming in each game.
KH: Yeah, I think, look, let's not kid ourselves, we're playing obviously Ipswich Wanderers who are a couple of leagues below us, so we are expected to win, but it's not actually the result that pleased me tonight. I thought it was just the way we dominated possession. Our movement was really good. We created chances, got in good areas and looked sharp. We looked sharp, so pre-season is obviously closing down and coming to an end soon, so it looks like we're hitting fitness and hitting form at the right time.
DK: As we've talked about a few times, the squad is shaping up very nicely and even more so tonight.
KH: Yeah, with the lads we got missing tonight and the lads we had on show, I thought we looked quite bright and we're in quite a good place as a squad.
DK: Not many times do we score three in both halves?
KH: No, but I think tonight it probably showed the levels that both teams play at. I thought we moved the ball really well and they tried to play, but we looked sharp and we shut them down and won the ball back high up the pitch. When we're in that sort of form, we're a match for anybody, let alone a team a couple of leagues below us.
DK: You talk about headaches with players still to come back. That's going to make it an absolute mad decision who starts on the 10th.
KH: Yeah, at the end of the day it's a good headache to have. It's not one that we've always had at Needham since I've been here. We've normally had a real strong 12, 13 and then made up with young lads. This squad is as strong as I've had. I said last season it's probably the best squad I had last season and we've added to that. So yeah, it's going to be a headache for me, but the lads know the script.
Obviously, earn your place. If you do well when you get your shirt, you stay in. If you don't, you have to be prepared to wait and stay fit, ready for your chance.
DK: Next up, another team in Wanderers' division in Mildenhall away.
KH: Yeah, we're on the road again, but again, I think I wanted to try and get teams from all different levels to play against who play different ways. The pitch will be played slightly differently.
I thought tonight's pitch was really nice. It's a good pitch over at Mildenhall, but a slight slope. So again, it's a different test for us, but it's one that we'll be looking forward to. Hopefully, we'll have a few bodies back as well so we can rotate again and give other people minutes and then we look forward to the final few games in pre-season.
DK: Full squad almost fit then?
KH: I'm hoping so. I'm hoping it will be. Not quite sure yet. Harley's just a little bit away. We've got Patch not here tonight, but should be back. We've also got Dylan struggling with a knee. Milzy should be all right. So yeah, I should have a headache next Wednesday.
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