Sunday, 27 October 2024

REACTION | Nico Valentine Post Match Interview | Buxton V Needham Market | 26.10.2024 |

Goalscorer Nico Valentine reflects on yesterday's trip to Buxton.

NV: Obviously we know, we've looked at ourselves in there and, it's unacceptable, the first half performance. And we know that. I think we've got away from the stuff that we were doing last season. We've spoken about it. I think there was a lot more accountability last season, putting our bodies on the line a lot more last season. And I don't know, it's one of them where we can't go under in games. Like it showed we were 3-0 down and then obviously I've got my goal and we're kind of back in the game and you kind of thought we've got a chance here. But once the fourth has gone in, heads have dropped again, but last season, I think we still fight back. Obviously, it's very difficult when you're at the bottom of the league playing in teams like that. But we just need to go back to last season and look what even just off the pitch and the morale was like, because that's what got us through a lot of the games last season. It was on the table there and you never knew which way it was going to go. But because obviously the morale was good last season, it was easier to get results. But yeah, we have to move on.
We can't dwell on this. 

DK: Yeah, in a weird way it wasn't really a 7-1 game. 

NV: Yeah. Obviously, there's mistakes within it. I don't think we've really defended well enough today, haven't dealt with the ball early enough. But second half, I think we came out, it's hard to say, but you're obviously 6-1 down, but the only credit we can give ourselves from today is that we've come out in the second half and we've competed and we've not gone under. It would have been easy to be 10-11 after you're six down at half time, but I think the boys went out and did well in the second half. Obviously, it's a sucker blow conceding late on again. But yeah, we'll look at clips and we'll work on it and and well, it will never happen again. And I'm sure of that. 
They were clinical as well. Very clinical. I think they were good going forward. Not sure we tested them enough going the other way. I think maybe they're a little bit shaky with balls in behind. I don't think they dealt with them completely well, but obviously, they've got their chance and punished us. And when you've got three kicks like that flying into the top corner, you know it's your day. And obviously, it's a good day for them. They're looking at it on the opposite side. But I think we need to take a little bit of a look at ourselves and go, could we have defended better and could we have taken our chances better down the other end? But yeah. 

DK: One positive is, that you've scored first goal at Step 2.

NV: Yeah, it's first goal at this level. Obviously, it's not come in a great game and would have preferred to have a goal in a winning game. But yeah, for me personally, it's good to get off the mark. It gives confidence. 

DK: We'll move on quickly to Saturday, back at home, where we'll need our fans to get behind us and push on. 

NV: Yeah, it's tough when you're down there, but you need as many people as you can get in behind you. It's easy to turn on teams, but you look at the end of last season and that's another reason why we did so well last season. So many people were behind us. They don't understand how much it helps when people are positive and we're trying to stay positive in that. It's a long season with 14 games in, there's still 90-odd points to play for. And come the end of the season, you never know what could happen. We could be looking back at this and thinking, do you remember that day in Buxton when we got beaten 7-1? But yeah, we'll see.

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