Character put to test in race for the crown
COUNTY boss Dave Challinor has challenged his side to “show their character” for the final time this season, as the National League title race goes to the final day of the season.
A demoralising 3-0 defeat at title rivals Wrexham on Sunday ensured that County could not seal the title on the day, and now must secure a minimum of four points from the final two games of the season to guarantee a return to the EFL.
The visit of Torquay United to Edgeley Park is up first on Wednesday evening (11th May), before high-flying play-off contenders Halifax come to town on Sunday.
Wrexham currently lead the way on goal difference after the comfortable win over The Hatters - but Phil Parkinson’s side do have just one game remaining compared to County’s two.
A “grumpy” Challinor reflected on defeat at The Racecourse, and believes his side were the better for the opening exchanges before Wrexham took control.
“We were very good for 25 minutes. We played the game and created, at least, three very good chances,” he said. “From there, we flicked a switch. Wrexham played the game, we lost our composure. We went away from what we’d been doing in the early stages of the game, people didn’t do their jobs and we didn’t do the basics.
“I’d said to Clint (Hill, assistant manager) a minute before the second goal that we need to get them in at half-time and help settle them down – and we then concede a really poor goal on the stroke of half-time.
“The goals have come from areas that we’d been showing the lads. We gave them all the tools in terms of knowing how Wrexham play, where they’re strong and how we can stop it, and we just did not do that on the day.
“It’s hugely disappointing. We gave ourselves an opportunity - that opportunity passed us by. The only positive is that we have other opportunities, and will do everything we can to take them.”
After Antoni Sarcevic and Paddy Madden had spurned three glorious chances for County at 0-0, target man Ollie Palmer headed the hosts in front after a trademark long throw by defender Ben Tozer.
“Regardless of what strengths they have with the long throw, it’s not like that is unexpected. We dealt with it really well in the Trophy game here, and did not deal with it well at all on Sunday,” said Challinor.
County were dealt a double blow in the buildup to the game, with defender Ryan Johnson ruled out with a knock, whilst loan striker Courtney Duffus appears to have picked up a serious, long-term injury also on the training ground.
But, with Duffus ruled out, Challinor was left unhappy with the contribution of his like-for-like replacement in attack in Scott Quigley.
“The absences are no excuse whatsoever. Every single player who was out on the pitch on Sunday is telling me they should be playing, and they have had the chance to show it,” he said.
“Of course, injuries can unsettle the balance of a side.
“Ryan Johnson isn’t too serious and we hope he’ll be okay for this week. Courtney, unfortunately, seems to have done his ACL which is a bad one.
“He was fantastic at Chesterfield and earned his opportunity, so that is a blow for him.
“Quigs is not in a great space at the minute. Too many things bounce off him, and there are too much turnovers off him. We’ve spoken to him about it. I’ve got true belief in him, but at the moment things are not going his way. Likewise, when we replaced him, it did not make a huge deal of difference. We need to be better.”
After that crushing defeat at the hands of the Red Dragons, all attention now turns towards getting over the line with two positive results in this final week of the regular season.
After leading the National League since the back end of January, County now need a minimum of one win and one draw from the two outings after a run of recent poor results.
“The players should not need lifting. If anything, I should need lifting and the fans should need lifting. If players can’t get themselves up for games like last Sunday and this week coming up, then they shouldn’t be playing in them,” he said.
“We’ve had plenty of opportunities to play under no pressure this season. This part of the season is not about playing with no pressure.
“These games really show the true characters. The first 25 minutes at Wrexham showed that there is character there but we have to deal with adversity.
“I have real confidence that we have enough about us to win both games.
“That’s easy for me to say, though - the players need to go and prove it.”