Gannon calls for Hatters ‘A’ game
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon has challenged his players to “bring their ‘A’ game” as The Hatters head into a crucial battle against playoff chasing rivals Chorley at Edgeley Park this weekend.
After claiming that his side “created enough chances to deserve a result” after a 2-0 defeat at promotion hopefuls Kidderminster last weekend, Gannon called on his side to ‘get back to basics’ as they prepare to host Matt Jansen’s Magpies on Saturday.
The Chorley game begins a run of two home league games in succession for Gannon’s men, before County travel to fellow promotion hopefuls Salford and Fylde in a crucial spell of fixtures leading up to the run-in.
And Gannon took the opportunity to challenge his players to ‘step it up’ as another pivotal fixture approaches, adding his belief that County’s opponents at the weekend are in a direct battle with The Hatters for one of the final play-off berths.
“We have two home games in which, if we bring our ‘A’ game, we win,” he said.
“From ourselves and Chorley’s point of view, we’ve got two full-time sides in Fylde and Kidderminster pushing for the top two spots.
“They’ll probably finish there, and then Halifax and Salford have thrown a lot of money at it and will continue to be strong.
“So the challenge is about that fifth spot, and that’s the challenge for the players – because Chorley are a side we’re wanting to overtake into the playoffs.
“We’ve developed and grown over the past few months and it’s great credit to the players that we’ve done so.
We need perhaps one or two more in terms of strengthening.
“But we’re moving in the right direction and we have strong players now on the books for the next couple of seasons – and that’s all positive in terms of achieving what we want to achieve as a club.”
Goals either side of halftime from Arthur Gnahoua and Elton Ngwatala at Aggborough condemned County to their first defeat in thirteen National League North games, despite a spirited second half performance from Gannon’s young side.
“We had enough chances to deserve something,” said the Hatters boss.
“Our overall play wasn’t good enough, but when you create that many chances, it’s all about taking them and getting any kind of result.
“It was always going to be a tough ask. I told the players after the FC United game two weeks ago that we’d need to be tidier, more efficient and more ruthless in front of goal if we were to get anything at Kidderminster – and, as we weren’t, perhaps we didn’t deserve anything.”
County could have taken the lead themselves, spurning a number of chances and striking the upright through leading goalscorer Danny Lloyd, before the Harriers took a lead just before the interval – with Gannon left dejected at his side’s culpability in their own downfall.
A poor clearance from goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe in first-half stoppage time was followed up by confusion at the back for the Hatters as a long ball was left for the lurking Gnahoua to pounce.
“The goals were particularly poor. All Ben has to do is make sure the ball lands somewhere up the final third, and we can box the ball off in the last minute of the first half – but it’s poor distribution, and that’s compounded by the indecision between the defenders and the goalkeeper as the long ball goes forward.
“Even the second goal is disappointing, Mark Ross misses a tackle right in front of us, and Kidderminster go on to get a cross and a free header,” explained Gannon.
“We’ve got away with mistakes like this against the likes of FC United and Stalybridge as we’ve got enough about us to beat those sides.”