Seeing matches out key for Sol
MACCLESFIELD Town manager Sol Campbell has warned his side they need to improve their game management ahead of this weekend’s trip to Grimsby Town.
The Silkmen were denied a point after conceding a late goal in the 2- 1 defeat to Swindon on Saturday, meaning they remain second bottom in the League Two table, three points from safety.
Up next for them is the trip to 14th placed Grimsby, and Campbell has stressed just where his side need to improve ahead of that match.
“It was disappointing to lose to Swindon like that as we should’ve seen the game out really. Game management is high on my list of priorities and from our free kick we should really be seeing it out and being profes- sional about it,” he said.
“We played really well. We started brightly, and we could’ve had another goal, but we had to be a bit sharper and a bit stronger in some areas.
“Tyrone Marsh got a good connection on his goal and its gone in, so I’m pleased for him as he’s worked his socks off and it’s got a good goal but the main thing for me is the follow up.
“We’ve created easier chances to get that second goal and kill the game off and we’ve not done that and that’s what’s really held us back.
“I think we’ve got to realise that every game is a cup final, we’ve got to regroup and go again but we’ve got ourselves in a fantastic position and we should’ve seen the game out.
“It is what it is. After a heavy Christmas period we’ve been depleted in numbers so that’s not helping, we have to get some bodies, and everybody seems to be getting injured from tackles and it’s not helping us.
“The main thing is for me is the game management and we’ve got to see the games out. You’ve got this heavy period and we haven’t got enough players to rotate and we’ve had to deal with it.
“We’ve had a heavy period with tough games for us and we’ve lost a lot of players and it put pressure on the rest of the squad, but the most important thing is game management.”
Campbell has also provided an update on the squad ahead of the match with Grimsby, revealing that Ryan Lloyd may miss out after suffering an injury against Swindon.
“I think we’ve got to assess Ryan Lloyd and I’ll talk to the physio. I don’t know right now how long he’ll be out for but hopefully it’s not too bad - but it could be. It was a bad tackle and there’s a real possibility he may not play this week,” he said.
“I think the main thing is we’ve got this January and opportunities to replenish the squad. We’ll have a couple of days off, regroup and well go again.
“That’s all you can do go again and the main thing we need to do is learn from this. We were in control of the scenario and then lost control we should be able to see the game out and use our intelligence.”
Grimsby head into the match on the back of a league defeat, having been beaten 1-0 at home to Mansfield Town on New Year’s Day.
‘The main thing for me is the game management, we’ve got to see games out’