Boss hoping McGahey’s no ‘blind squirrel’

KEITH Hill was full of praise for the performance of centrehalf pairing Harrison McGahey and Jim McNulty following the 1-0 derby win at Bury.

Hill described it as a ‘team performance,’ but highlighted the duo’s display in the rearguard.

“I thought my two centre halves were immense and some of the passages of play to get on the counter attack were absolutely superb,” he said. “It was a team performance, it wasn’t an individual performance. It was full of courage, passion, aggression and a fighting spirit and I think that gets missed in football, it’s all about technique and phases of play. Ultimately, it’s not about ability, it’s about how big your heart is and how many hearts you have out there.”

McGahey, pictured, in particular caught the eye in keeping striker James Vaughan quiet – and Hill hopes to see more of the same from the former Sheffield United youngster.

“It was the first game we have won away from home all season with him playing centre half,” said Hill. “Somebody once said to me ‘a blind squirrel finds an acorn once every winter,’ so I hope his display is not just a blind squirrel because I thought he was excellent. I played him in the centre of defence because of Vaughan. Harrison has pace to burn, and that’s why I put Keith Keane in the centre of midfield.

“I went back a little bit to Chesterfield away and that front six was exactly the same, but I wanted Harrison in the middle of the pitch against Vaughan’s pace.”