“I was proud of the players efforts yesterday as we eventually gained a positive result despite extremely difficult circumstances. We were patched up against Morpeth in midweek and then we lost Josh Nearney on Friday due to a bad foot infection so we had to change formation because of the personnel available. We started the game brightly and looked confident in possession. We were seeing plenty of the ball so it was frustrating to concede from one long ball by Penrith. We went in at the break a little disappointed that we didn’t work their keeper more but we told the players to remain patient, keep their composure and be positive. I think the introduction of Tom Potter gave us a different dimension in attack as he got into good areas and upset their back line. We just kept going and earned our reward with a brilliantly worked goal with another substitute Matty Cornish playing a big part in the move that led to Potter’s finish. We were very fortunate to survive just before that when they missed a sitter but that kind of thing gives you more belief and the players responded after that miss. Just to confound our poor luck, we’ve lost Tom Flynn who injured himself making a save but young Callum Harley came on and has done brilliantly on his senior debut. In the last 10 mins we forced their keeper to make three saves as we looked the most likely but not to be so we go again in the replay on Tuesday.
The players have all stuck together and worked hard for that result, It’s a pity about the pockets of negativity because no team can cope easily without six key players. I hope everyone gets behind the team in the replay.”
