County hotshot issues warning SAM BYRNE
COUNTY’S leading goalscorer Danny Lloyd fired his 20th strike of the season for The Hatters in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Stalybridge before issu a warning shot to The Hatters’ play-off rivals.
Lloyd helped his side make it ten games unbeaten in the National League North with two goals either side of halftime in the derby win, and the 25-year-old stated his belief following the hardfought win that none of County’s competitors would be relishing a clash against Jim Gannon’s inform men.
The Liverpudlian winger also took the chance to brush off allegations of diving from visitors Celtic on Saturday, as Lloyd went down under pressure from Danny Wilkins to win a controversial spot-kick - which Lloyd converted to give County a crucial lead.
Stalybridge were left fuming at the decision, with co-manager Steve Halford reprimanded for kicking an advertising hoarding shortly after the incident; but Lloyd claimed he “didn’t care” what the Tameside strugglers had to say.
“A few people have been questioning me on the penalty decision. I don’t understand why anyone would go down when they’re in on goal. The only way I’m going down is if I get clipped, and I got clipped,” said Lloyd.
“People may want to call me a cheat, but I felt the contact and went down. That’s a foul.”
Lloyd admitted he has been aware of criticism throughout the campaign over “going down” inside the area, but the Hatters’ leading marksman again dismissed any talk of simulation to claim that he should have been awarded more decisions over the course of the season.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, in the Premier League or the National League, if you’re fast and running at high speed it will only take the slightest of nudges to knock you off balance,” he explained.
“There’s been times this season where I’ve been knocked and stayed on my feet, only to hear people say I should have gone down.”
“But I don’t really care, the most important thing is that the penalty was given on Saturday and I put it in the back of the net. That’s the end of the conversation.”
County solidified the fifth and final play-off position in the division with the Stalybridge win, and Lloyd was quick to express his “absolute confidence” that his side could push on despite what he admitted looks a “daunting” month ahead, with trips to table-topping Fylde, as well as high-flying Salford and Kidderminster.
“We’ve got some really big matches coming and a really big next month. We’ve been gelling week by week and mounting a real challenge, so hopefully now we can push on,” Lloyd said.
“March may look quite daunting with trips to some really tough sides at the top of the table, but we don’t fear anyone and don’t fear going anywhere. We know we’re one of the best in the division, especially away from home, and as you see with results in this league like Fylde losing heavily at Salford, anything can happen.”
One of Jim Gannon’s side’s most impressive statistics this season has been there record against sides around them, with two victories in successive weeks over Salford accompanied by away wins at play-off contenders Chorley and Brackley.
On a personal level, Lloyd has also added fifteen assists to his 21 goals in all competitions during a remarkable first campaign for the side – equalling County’s last highest scoring non-striker in the history books; current Hatters chief Jim Gannon!
And Lloyd fired a warning at The Hatters’ promotion competitors, stating that - whilst there may be “more technical” sides in the division than The Hatters - few sides would match County for “togetherness.”
“We’ve beaten Salford twice, we’ve battled out tough draws with Halifax and Darlington, we’ve gone to Chorley and won. We’ve more than matched all of those top teams at some point, and I’m more than confident that we can go on and end up in that top few positions.
“We’re a real team, in the dressing room and on the pitch, and that will count massively.
“There may be sides like Brackley who could be seen as more technical, more attractive footballing sides than us – but there are no teams as together as us.”