It’s evident that they all want to beat us – Herbert
● RUNCORN TOWN manager Chris Herbert says his team must learn to adapt after losing 4-2 at Bootle on Tuesday evening.
Town dispatched Silsden 3-0 away from home last Saturday and looked to be continuing their good form at the TDP Solictors Stadium as they raced into a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes thanks to a double from Ryan Cox against his former club.
Bootle pegged Herbert’s side back, however, and had taken the lead themselves just 20 minutes later following a defensive collapse from the visitors.
A John Shaw backpass after half-time that went into his own net put the game to bed and Herbert believes other teams in the division are raising their game against his side after they narrowly missed out on promotion last term.
“These games prove that every side in this division doesn’t stop until the very end,” Herbert said.
“They don’t stop. They just want to get a goal against you and everyone wants to beat us.
“It’s the same for City of Liverpool. Everyone wants to beat them because they play to a big crowd but that’s what football is.
“You’ve got to be able to adapt to situations and certain games where the other team is going to come and make things horrible for you and we have that quite a bit so it’s about how we deal with that. All of a sudden we’ll then go into a game where it might be a little more open for us and we have to be able to crack on with it.”
Runcorn do still possess a five point advantage in second place following the defeat and will be hoping to kick-on when they return to Hallmark Security League Premier Division action at Charnock Richard a week on Saturday. Before then, Town welcome North Yorkshire outfit Guisborough Town to the Viridor Community Stadium on Saturday in their FA Vase first round clash. The match kicks-off at 3pm. Town are without a midweek game next week.