Back to best for Bamber Bridge clash Linnets looking for positive response in FA Cup tie
RUNCORN Linnets will have to be back to their best this weekend if they are to make progress in the FA Cup.
That’s the verdict of manager Calaum McIntyre as his Linnets side prepare to entertain Jamie Milligan’s Bamber Bridge.
They do so on the back of a 2-1 midweek defeat against Bootle, which came as a disappointment to McIntyre having seen his side beat Clitheroe away 2-1 last Saturday.
“It is exciting, it’s great to be in the FA Cup and at home in front of a decent crowd against a side we have loads of respect for – we love the type of football they play with a management team I respect and I know what they will bring to the table,” said McIntyre. “We will have to be at our best on Saturday to compete but we will relish the challenge.
“That’s the pleasing thing about playing Saturday/Tuesday, almost not having too long to sulk about stuff! The FA Cup is exciting, it’s massive for us – but when you talk about a big game, it’s the next game – whether that’s a league game on a Saturday or a Tuesday night, we get the opportunity to have a real bit of clarity and just focus on the next game.”
McIntyre accepted responsibility for the midweek loss against Bootle, feeling some of his decisions affected the performance.
“It rests with me,” he said. “When we’re good the players will put us in that position, when we aren’t good I think it rests with me and that’s how I’ve always tried to be since I came to the club.
“I think there was stuff that I clearly didn’t get right in terms of how we set up, the fat that we had to change things significantly at half time – and that’s not in terms of personnel, we had to sacrifice two in different positions to allow us to do something differently.
“I don’t think I got my stuff right, so when you have been as good as our players have so far this season, you’ve got to look at me and ask ‘did I get things right to get us the three points?’ And I think the answer to that is no.
“When you’ve got a group as talented as ours and we come up short then I think you’ve got to look at me. I have to accept that and I will, I’ll accept the challenge of making sure we’re better next time out.
“The disappointment comes in the performance, because I don’t think we showed the best version or ourselves and in missing the opportunity to back up something really positive that we did on Saturday and having a little bit more to show for it over the course of a four-day period.”