Lyttle applauds players’ fight, but admits there is work still to be done
SLIGO Rovers manager Ger Lyttle said that last Friday’s draw with Bohemian FC was a good point all things considered, but he will not be accepting it as he wanted all three points.
The Rovers boss was left frustrated by the ease at which Bohs scored both goals, but was pleased with the fight and determination shown by his players to come back from being behind twice.
“I’m not accepting that because I came here to win the game. I said to the boys that that’s the mindset we’re trying to approach. To be fair, coming from behind twice it is a good point,” he told The Sligo Champion.
But the former Cliftonville boss praised the character of his players, who battled back twice to earn a well deserved draw.
“I thought the boys showed great battle and grit and determination. Coming from behind, I’ve seen us crumble before when we’ve conceded.
“The goals, I thought, they were sloppy enough in terms of, we gave the ball away in stupid areas. The second one as well, is a corner, we hate conceding from corners and we’ve lost our marker and he’s on the scoresheet. We’re not happy with that and we’ll look at that and try and fix it.”
Rovers are yet to keep a clean sheet this season having played six games at the time of writing. That is a concern for Lyttle, “We’re due a clean sheet, hopefully we can get it sooner rather than later. I have to say, well done to the boys for digging in and not letting the heads drop when we went 2-1 down because it’s very easily done.”
Liverpudlian Adam Morgan netted his fourth of the season on Friday night.
The 23-year-old worked extremely hard all night, and Lyttle praised the workrate of his striker.
“I thought Adam Morgan up top tonight worked his absolute socks off, he fought for every ball, and showed the class in terms of his finish.
“Caolan McAleer is forever working and David Cawley. It was a good performance but it’s still a work in progress,” he said.
Following last week’s defeat at home to Waterford, Lyttle called on his players to show more passion.
He wanted his players to show more heart when they put on the Rovers jersey.
He felt he got more passion and heart on Friday night.
“I think I did (get that passion). We knew we were going to come here and get a physical game against Bohs.
“I asked the boys to go and meet fire with fire and stand up and not be bullied. I think tonight we showed that we’ll not be bullied,” he said.
Both Rovers goals came from set-pieces on Friday night, with Bohs’ second goal also coming from set pieces.
That’s something that Lyttle says they will work on, as they have struggled to be a threat from set-pieces so far this season. Until Friday night, that was.
“I think last season we were a real threat from set pieces. This season I don’t think we have been. It’s something that we will look to improve on.
“I don’t care how we score as long as we score. It was just disappointing to concede two goals the way we did.”
An animated Lyttle was frustrat- ed with officials when he thought Eoghan Stokes’ goal was offside, but admits he was wrong on that one.
“We could have stopped that, we gave away the ball high up and they’ve broken, the boy’s put it in the top corner and it’s a great finish,
“I thought it was offside and I have to go apologise to the officials, I was giving off and I’ve just watched it and they’ve got it right.”
Rovers are due to face St. Patrick’s Athletic tonight at Richmond Park in the rescheduled fixture.
They will then face Dundalk at home on Saturday evening at 7.45pm.