Manager's Blog: We Need to Defend Much Better

Manager Danny Johnson was obviously bitterly disappointed with his team’s trip to North Ferriby on Tuesday evening following the home defeat to Stafford Rangers last Saturday. After shipping in eleven goals in the last two games the gaffer is under no illusions as to what is required to turn his team’s fortunes around.

‘We certainly need to start defending better. We can’t continue to give the opposition goals and we need to make the opposition work harder to score. The goals we conceded on Tuesday were a disgrace and yet again we have conceded within the first 10 minutes. We got our noses in front following a really poor start to the game but the lead lasted barely a minute, which is really disappointing. I look at the defenders I have available to me and I can’t quite put my finger on what the problem is although club captain and left back Danny Caldecott(groin) and holding midfielder Ged Murphy being out with ankle ligament damage may be two reasons. That said the lads who are in possession of the shirts need to work harder and perform better to keep hold of them. I won’t accept defeats like we have witnessed recently and I will be doing everything I can to rectify the situation.’

‘We have some very talented players at the club but for some reason they’re not performing. I am not one for making wholesale changes but the lads are fully aware that if we don’t stop conceding ridiculous goals I will have no other option. I have great belief in the group of players we have at the club and I sincerely believe that we will turn the corner very soon. I always say to people that they should enjoy the good times as the bad times are just around the corner. I am fully aware that we are going through a bad time at the minute but no one will work harder than me to ensure we pull through and start winning football matches again. I would ask our supporters to remain patient and continue to get behind the team. We have a real honest bunch of players who will give the club everything they’ve got. At the minute it isn’t happening for us and we are now suffering with a lack of confidence.’

‘The visit to Chorley on Saturday will be yet another difficult game but there are no easy games in this league. We will need to be better than we were at Ferriby on Tuesday but let’s not take anything away from the way Billy Heath’s team played. They were excellent on the night and thoroughly deserved their victory. Yet again we will be without a number of key players. Danny Caldecott (groin), Ged Murphy (ankle), Alex Frost (knee), Wayne Cahill (knee) and Kyle Harrop (suspended). We will also have to take a close look at Liam Dawson (knee), Dave Roberts (ankle), Ian Bennett (ankle), Matty O’Neill (groin) and George Melling has tonsillitis so is rated very doubtful for the game at Chorley. We do however welcome back Aaron Burns who was unavailable at North Ferriby in the week.’

‘I am very hopeful that over the next couple of days I will be able to announce some really positive news that will give everyone at the club a real boost, we certainly need it. I have been very busy trying to recruit players over the past few weeks and if this signing comes off it will give the whole club a real lift.’