Abbo Takes the Positives
Hinckley AFC manager Carl Abbott will take the positives from what he described as a ‘sub-standard display’ despite his side’s 4-3 win at Stafford Town.
The former Wolves Casuals boss was frustrated with the way his side managed the game in the second half, and said that they nearly threw away three points with the ‘naive’ performance in the second half.
He said: ‘We take the positives. We’ve won the game, and we look like we have a never-say-die attitude about us now, and we believe that we’re going to win games.
‘But that was a pretty sub-standard display: probably the worst one for a good few weeks. We struggled to control the game in midfield, and we didn’t manage the game at the points where we got our noses in front.
‘The main thing we’ve talked about in the dressing room is losing that naivety, and managing the game to win it rather than keep having to chase it.
‘Things like forcing corners in when you’ve only loaded up with three people rather than taking it short in the last minute.
‘We’ve very nearly been the masters of our own downfall today, and that’s what we take from it.’
Abbott said that while seven goals provide the fans with their money’s worth, managing in a game like that is much more stressful. ‘That’s not our thing, and I don’t like it. There are teams at our level who play like that. They go heavy on forwards, score lots of goals and defend like that, making this a pretty regular scoreline.
‘But that’s not how we run things, and it’s not what we want to see too often. We weren’t organised today, and it’s out of character for us not to keep the ball well, to be rushed and harried.
‘But we’re in good form and we’ll be confident next week that we’ll put in a better display.’
Abbott also stressed that the onus is on the players to keep performing. With such strength in depth, he says that his players have to keep their shirt by playing well.
‘Football has a knack of taking care of itself in terms of injuries and things. Sometimes I think I’ve got myself into a selection pickle and them somebody gets a niggle or they’re unwell. That’s happened today with Jordan (Rushton) being unwell and John Clapp being at work.
‘We’re impressing on the lads now that they have to win their place and keep their place. They dictate the side now. There’s going to be an element of rotation but the message is “keep your shirt”.
‘It’s not a problem, we’ve got a big squad, and the lads understand where we’re going with that. I don’t see us adding anything to what we’ve got after the two additions (Jack Hartopp and Michael Healy) and we’ll manage it as best as we see it.’
With the sides meeting again at St John’s Park in just two weeks time, Abbott says that lessons can be learnt from today’s game and taken into the reverse fixture.
‘We’ve been the architects of our own downfall today, and we nearly cost ourselves three points. That said, if we go about our business properly then these things don’t happen.
‘We look like we can create things against them, we look like we have more invention going forward, perhaps, than they do, and I look forward to the return fixture.
‘Hopefully if we can be more disciplined it will be a less stressful afternoon.’
