Abbo: We held our own

Hinckley AFC manager Carl Abbott was pleased with the way his side battled in a 2-0 defeat against Tamworth on Tuesday evening.
A goal towards the end of each half from Shane Clarke and Sam Brookes was enough to see the Conference North side end Hinckley’s winning start.
Despite the result, Abbott was pleased with the workout. He said ‘It was tough, particularly in the first ten minutes when we struggled to get to grips with their fitness and the pressure that they put on the ball.
‘When we settled into it, I thought we held our own. We carved out some really decent openings, and we were certainly unfortunate not to have scored in the first half.
‘I think we demonstrated that we have some really talented players down here this year. A number of them have fallen out of the professional game, and their fitness levels have dropped in comparison to their (Tamworth’s) level.
‘I think that was the difference tonight. We’ve been choked in possession. We played some really nice stuff, with some great pockets of play, but it’s all been a little bit deep because they’ve put so much pressure on us.’
However, Abbott expressed his disappointment at the way his side conceded the two goals.
‘We’ve lost to two set pieces, which we’ve discussed in the changing room.
‘But if that’s all that separates us from a Conference North side at this stage of the season then we’ve got to be pleased with that – we’ve got to be realistic.’
Picture courtesy of Matt Buchan