Assistant Manager Tom Rothery reflects on Saturday's final friendly.
DK: Nice to have pre-season out the way.
TR: Yeah, I'm glad it's over, yeah. I don't really enjoy pre-seasons. I find them very tough because, it just doesn't overly mean anything, does it? Results don't mean too much. You don't get any points. So, yeah, I'm glad it's over. But I don't think it's been too bad a pre-season. Same as last pre-season, I said that to the lads after the game as well. I think the last two pre-seasons, the lads have brought into it. I think the commitment's been good and, generally speaking, I think we've got out of both pre-seasons what we needed to, so, yeah.
DK: Topsy-turvy game today. First half better than the second, really.
TR: Yeah, and again, I think a lot of that comes from pre-season, to be honest with you. Sudbury didn't make too many changes. I thought they were good, both halves. They didn't make too many changes, though. We made quite a number of changes earlier, so they probably made a few changes later in the game. We made a number of changes earlier in the game, which then creates a little bit of faultiness. It's very difficult for players to go on. We didn't get too many positives out of the second half. Marco obviously made a couple of brilliant saves, but there weren't too many other positives out of the second half. But, yeah, Sudbury is never an easy place to come, so I suppose the pleasing thing is that we haven't lost pre-season or not. That's an important attribute to have. When you're not at your best, make sure you don't lose again.
DK: Two good goals from our point of view as well.
TR: They were the biggest positives, without stating the obvious. Not because they're goals, but because of the way the goals come about. It's just through working hard and pressing in the right areas. I was really pleased with both those goals, really. I suppose the frustration off the back of both those goals is that we had opportunities to get a third. I think Jamie was denied, if I remember rightly. I think someone else was probably denied. I can't remember. And we didn't really kick on and build up from that two-nil, although I really thought their penalty was really soft to make it 2-1. Tommy's adamant he's got the ball first, then the player. That was how I saw it from where I was, so I thought the penalty was soft. That's probably the frustration from 2-0. We didn't really build on it. The second half became a bit patchy, whether that's because of the changes. There weren't as many positives in the second half, or many at all, really, if I'm honest.
DK: Finally, on the eve of the first league game now?
TR: Yeah, looking forward to it. Like I said, I just prefer football season. It just means something, doesn't it? If you win a game, lose a game, draw a game, there's things to get off the back of that, whether it be points, whether it be learning lessons. I find pre-season really difficult because I'm just so competitive. I just find it difficult. I think the competitive edge in me just finds pre-season a real tough thing to do. I'm always glad when pre-season's over. Like I said, I think it's been reasonably positive, similar to last pre-season, but it means nothing on August 10th. Everything starts. You all start with zero points, and that's where we'll find out where we're at, and hopefully we'll be in a good place.
DK: It'll be a tough game, considering they were seventh in the league last year.
TR: Yeah, we've got a tough start. Let's take positions from last year. They were seventh, you've got Southport that look like they've improved. Well, they have improved, there's no doubt about that. And then you've got Scunthorpe, obviously, who's second. That's the third game. You've got Radcliffe come up. Everyone's tipping them to be the favourite or one of the favourites in the league. And then I think we start with Alfreton at home after that on the bank on a Monday, and they were fourth last year. So it's a very tough start. Like I've said on previous interviews, we need to expect every game to be tough. And then like I've said to the players today, our mentality is massive now. It's really important that we are prepared to feel and act like we're step two players and show that on the pitch consistently and deal with the ups and downs and be brave.
Goalscorer Jamie McGrath reflects on today's game.
DK: Half-decent game to finish pre-season?
JMcG: Yeah, you know, it was obviously competitive, (they're) league below what we're going to be in. Got some good players, so we knew it was going to be a tough run out. You know, it was a tough game when we came here in January last year, so we knew it was going to be tricky. But yeah, you know, lots of positives to take, I think.
DK: And a brilliant goal for you as well?
JMcG: Yeah, no, nice to get on the score sheet as always. Hopefully sort of take that into next week and into the season. But yeah, could have had maybe one or two more. So yeah, but you know, still happy.
DK: Probably one of our better friendlies, really, in terms of competitiveness?
JMcG: Yeah, I think so. Obviously, we've played a few teams in lower leagues, which has been good in terms of building patterns of play, relationships within the team and building fitness. But yeah, it was obviously more of a test today and slightly disappointed, obviously, to have the two-goal lead and then end up drawing. But as I say, positives to take and the result doesn't really matter.
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