Boss: A step in right direction
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon reflected on “a lot of positives”, as his side head into a crunch double header at Edgeley Park this week after ‘stopping the rot’ with a goalless draw at Sutton United on Saturday.
The five hundred mile round trip to Greater London yielded The Hatters’ first clean sheet since August, as a run of five successive defeats was brought to a halt in a battling performance by County - and also brought about Gannon’s side’s first goalless draw in the league in over two years.
And, despite a number of opportunities throughout the day, Gannon was upbeat about his much improved side’s performance on the day.
“I wouldn’t say I’m frustrated (at not winning the game) - we had some good opportunities, but I’m sure they’ll feel the same,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll feel frustrated with some of the chances they’ve wasted, so there’s still a lot of lessons to learn.
“The lads are positive about it, and it feels like we showed signs of getting back to being that team which we had winning games at the start of the season - but there’s still a long way to go.”
The side Gannon refers to won five in six throughout August, climbing into a National League play-off spot early in the season after wins over the likes of Wrexham, Fylde, Chesterfield and Eastleigh before September’s miserable losing streak began.
There can be no doubt that County were hampered by circumstance before and during the successive defeats - winger Jake Kirby announced his shock retirement from football aged just 25, while key man Ash Palmer fell injured in the warm-up of an eventual 4-0 hammering at Boreham Wood.
Gannon also saw suspension hit his side, with influential midfielder Sam Walker missing the thumping by Torquay and whilst the County boss has been one of the first to admit that more bodies are needed at Edgeley Park, he also expressed his satisfaction at how many of the same side which went on that long winning run began getting ‘back to basics’ in Saturday’s goalless draw.
“The word is probably ‘satisfied’. We tried a few things on the day that worked well for us, and some that still require some work in training,” said Gannon.
“I thought we put a lot of pressure on their back four and their ‘keeper, putting crosses in and getting set pieces high up the pitch - it was positive.”
“We needed to correct a few things from the previous games, and I think we worked the goalkeeper well at Sutton and looked really positive. But we needed to get that goal, and couldn’t do so.”
Loanee Adam Hammill started on the day a week after his somewhat surprise move from Scunthorpe Utd, while fellow loanee Joe Leesley was introduced from the bench in the second half after an ineffective start to life at Edgeley Park.
And, deep into the second half, it was substitute Leesley who was involved in the key moment of the match - he rose high to challenge Rob Milsom, who raised his arm well above his head and saw the ball cannon into his outstretched hand.
Adam Thomas rolled the rebound inches wide, but The Hatters we’re still furiously appealing for the penalty - and Gannon wasted no time in condemning the decision.
“The initial referee on Saturday got injured in the warm-up, and his replacement looked nervous, hesitant and out of his depth, he said.
“We’re obviously grateful that he was there to step up so we could get the game on; but it’s a clear handball in their area for a penalty.
“He didn’t seem interested in speaking to me afterwards about it, but it is what it is.”
Focus now switches towards a big Edgeley Park double header this week, with The Hatters firstly hosting old Football League rivals Hartlepool United on Wednesday evening.
The Monkey Hangers will be looking for their first win at County since 2003, and will be doing so in front of the BT Sport cameras - with the tie broadcast live across the nation.
And, with another former Football League opponent arriving at Edgeley Park on Saturday in the shape of Dagenham & Redbridge, Gannon is eager for his side to enter battle “fully prepared”.