Boyce says Albion will be driven by Cup flak after loss
STRIKER: BREWERS WILL BE MOTIVATED BY CRITICISM
LIAM Boyce says Burton Albion’s players will use the suggestion they crossed “the fine line between confidence and complacency” as motivation when they return to League One action against Coventry City on Saturday.
After seeing his side beaten 2-1 by Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup first round, Nigel Clough criticised Albion’s first-half display at Glanford Park and said he felt they did not do “the horrible things” necessary to secure the win, seven days after one of their most eye-catching performances of the season in victory over Walsall.
“That was despite pointing out to them all week, ‘this is what made us good at Walsall, this is why we played so well, if you don’t do those things, you won’t put in the same performance,’” said Clough in the aftermath of the FA Cup exit.
It resulted in only Burton’s second defeat from seven matches, outside the Checkatrade Trophy, and undermined a positive run of form.
While Boyce will be away on international duty during Albion’s home meeting with the in-form Sky Blues this weekend, he says he and his team-mates are keen to show their best qualities once again and prove to Clough that their winning desire is undimmed.
“Of course you take it to heart,” said Boyce. “It’ll motivate us and we’ll use it as motivation.
“We know we’re out of the Cup and there’s nothing we can do about that now.
“So we’ll just go out next week and make sure it doesn’t happen.
“You’re going to try to do your best and sometimes it doesn’t come off.
“But when you get questions like that there, you have to go out and prove yourself and show the manager we want to win games.”
Boyce fired past Jak Alnwick in the 79th minute of Saturday’s game to notch his eight goal of the campaign and a first in eight outings.
The Brewers were already two goals behind, though, and just as in the recent League loss to Peterborough United, that margin proved too much to bridge.
Boyce highlighted the importance of grabbing the first goal in matches.
“Obviously it’s massive in this League and in the Cup, just to get that momentum going,” he added.
“The way we’ve been playing, if we’d got one, we’d have been confident, flying and probably gone on to get a couple more.
“It just wasn’t to be on Saturday. We know how important it is and we’ll be pushing.
“We’re creating the chances, we just need to put them in before they put one in.”