‘Players need to keep to the script’
BOSS NOT COMPLETELY HAPPY DESPITE WIN AT OXFORD
TOMMY WIDDRINGTON has warned his Aldershot Town side not to go “off-script” as they continue to battle for a play-off spot in the National League.
With 10 games remaining, the Shots sit seventh in the table, four points clear of eighth-place FC Halifax Town.
And with only a single point separating the teams in fourth to seventh in the table, Solihull Moors, Gateshead, Oldham Athletic and the Shots, there is plenty to play for.
But despite taking three points away from home on Saturday, Widdrington was not content with the performance his side put in against basement boys Oxford City.
The north Hampshire side took the lead in the 11th minute through Lorent Tolaj, but Lewis Coyle levelled for Oxford before the half-hour.
However, Josh Stokes’ 38th minute goal was enough to claim all three points for the visitors. But Widdrington felt his side could have approached the game better.
“I’m delighted with the three points; obviously we want to win as many games as we can,” he said after the game.
“But I wasn’t overly enamoured with our performance after the first 15 minutes if I’m honest and the lads know that. What I said will stay in there [the changing room].
“We need to stick to the script. One or two of them have gone off piste. Probably because we scored so early on there is a tendency to think it’s going to be easy but you have to give Oxford massive credit – they are in a very difficult situation and punching above their weight being in the league I think.
“Every one of their lads gave everything and they very nearly took something out of the game.”
He added: “After the first 15 minutes there was a collective ‘sigh’ – a little bit of air came out of us. But it’s all about results at this stage of the season and my face might say it, but I’m delighted that we have taken the three points.
“Good sides sometimes win when you don’t play well but if we turn up like that against a team in a similar situation to us in the table, which is our next opponents, we will have our pants pulled down royally and our backsides smacked.”
Aldershot Town host Oldham Athletic on Saturday and then Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday night.