Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Lichties’ double blow
There’s time but United must improve at back
“Sometimes you cannot explain it. As I say, what is important now is we have to go to the standard we were before and build again.
“On Saturday we were not there because in the first half the gaps were too big on the pitch. That meant they could play too easily from the back to the front.
“In the beginning of the second half we made some changes and we were pressing them. That made it harder for them and easier for us but we did it too late because we allowed them to score four times in the first half and to come back was too much.”
The good news is the 31-year-old came through his return without suffering any reaction to what had become a worrying injury.
Now he’s looking to build up his match fitness and help United get back on track.
“I was tired after the game. I was only training for one-and-a-half weeks before Saturday. It was a difficult pitch and after the 90 minutes I was tired.
“The calf was OK and that is the important thing but I didn’t train for six weeks because of the injury and that was difficult.
“Even getting back to it, you can train but it is not the intensity you get in games and that is what gives you the fitness you need.
“So you get tired after the first game but the main thing is you get through it.
“For me that meant the game was OK and I am happy I am back and can play games again and help my team.” ARBROATH have been hit with a double blow.
Former Stirling Albion player Eddie Ferns received a leg gash against Annan last Saturday and is out for a month.
And the Red Lichties have learned Ryan McCord is suspended for t wo games, meaning he will miss Saturday’s game away to Clyde and the home match against Forfar.
Both have been playing their parts i n the club’s push f or promotion t o League One.
Manager Dick Campbell was “gutted” at the loss to Annan as it broke Arbroath’s long unbeaten sequence.
“We had 17 corners as we