‘We will come through these tough times together’
SHOTS BOSS HAPPY WITH TEAM’S ‘CHARACTER’ DESPITE LOSS
MARK MOLESLEY was pleased with the “character and intention” of his Aldershot Town team in the second half of Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge, but admitted he was disappointed by the manner in which the goals were conceded.
The Shots went into the Easter Monday game on the back of two wins – a 2-1 victory over Boreham Wood on Saturday April 9 and a 2-0 Good Friday win over Yeovil Town.
However, Molesley’s men conceded twice in eight first-half minutes to give the play-offs-chasing Daggers all three points.
Junior Morias netted the opener on 27 minutes before Mauro Vilhete doubled the visitors’ lead on 35 minutes – and Shots boss Molesley was particularly impressed with his side’s second-half showing.
“The performance was good. We were strong,” he said.
“In the second half we rallied and finished in the ascendency, but in the first half [Dagenham] really showed their quality and cutting edge. They are a team bang in form and have an array of great players at this level.
“We were both getting the measure of each other in the first half and they showed that clinical edge when they needed to.
“It was disappointing from us, particularly the manner in which we conceded the goal, from counterattacking situations. We always work hard to nullify those, but we probably got our distances and our body shape a little bit wrong at times.
“What I will say is in the second half we fixed things, we didn’t fold. We didn’t roll over. We took the game to them in the second half and had a lot of action in and around their final third.
“We would want to work their goal more than we did because there were lots of final third entries and penalty box entries, but we couldn’t find that next goal.
“That next goal was going to be huge because if we got it, everyone has seen what a goal does to us now. It lifts us and lifts the crowd. I think the crowd could see there was a team with intent trying its best to get back into the game.
“We were playing a team in hot form and we certainly made a fist of it in the second half.
“There are areas where we want to improve on and sharpen up on, but the most important thing was I saw the character and intent in that second half where we were fighting, probing and being brave.
“We had to work hard to break down a really stubborn defence. I think the Dagenham manager was disappointed with the goals they conceded against Barnet. Once they got the lead they were quite focused on not giving it up.”
Despite Monday’s defeat, the two recent wins have helped distance Aldershot from the National League’s relegation zone.
The Shots remain fourth from bottom after the Easter weekend, but are eight points clear of 21st-placed King’s Lynn Town, who have played two games more.
“We are giving everything we’ve got,” Molesley said. “We know we have come up short a few times this season and there have been tough times. But when you come through those tough times, we have to do it together.
“We [the club and the supporters] are so much stronger together, I say it all the time. But it’s a two-way thing; we have to give them something to cheer about and they have to see the fight and the determination and the attacking intent.
“Sometimes when you lose things are highlighted a lot more and the feeling around the place is a lot more doom and gloom, but only we can lift that. We have lifted that temporarily with the past three performances, but we have to make sure we continue to give them something to get behind.”
Next up is two away games at Solihull Moors on Saturday and then Bromley on Tuesday night.