Parkway boss calls for a defensive imrpovement
CLICHES are often clichés because the saying is true. And in football, there are few that are truer than the saying ‘defending starts from the front.’
That message is one that is being hammered home by Plymouth Parkway manager Lee Hobbs right now, who is understandably delighted with the form of his free-scoring side going forward, but less impressed with what he is seeing from a defensive perspective.
A 5-3 win in the FA Trophy at Highworth Town last week certainly made for an entertaining game, certainly for the neutral, but for Hobbs, he was unhappy that Highworth managed three goals when they had so few efforts at goal.
In fact, with a 4-4 friendly draw at Tavistock followed by a 4-2 loss at Bristol manor Farm, it is 13 goals conceded by Parkway in their last three games. Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Melksham Town, Hobbs knows it needs addressing.
“Highworth last week wasn’t really a true reflection of the game,” Hobbs said. “We were very dominant in the first half but they had two shots and scored two goals, we had 11 shots and scored two goals.
“In the second half, they scored against the run of play and they we amended the shape a few times, the substitutions played a big part and we found a way to win, which was fully deserved.
“We are a team that’s expansive and open the pitch right up, we are aggressive going forward and we like to play on the front foot,” Hobbs said.
“I have to be realistic that we are going to concede goals, but we are scoring goals as well. I just think we can do a bit more to prevent the goals we are conceding, whether that’s being less sloppy at the top end of the pitch, being better set at turnovers, working harder to run inwards and be more narrow, or cutting out individual mistakes and just collectively defending better form front to back.
“We are outscoring teams because we think we have a better quality of footballer and while the pitches are allowing us to do that, we are scoring lots of goals, but the pitches will turn soon and we won’t be able to be as silky as we want with the ball, so we have to find a way of scoring goals, but also keeping more clean sheets.”
Hobbs added: “I say it all the time: everybody is a defender and everybody is an attacker. It’s no one’s god given right to have to defend and it’s no one’s god given right to have to score. Everyone is a defender and everyone is an attacker.
“When we haven’t got the ball, you get in, you narrow off, you get your shape, you track your runners and you get the ball back as far up the field as you possibly can to eliminate the danger in front of our goal.
“I am sure we will address it because we have good defenders and it may be a case of pulling the full-backs in… it’s just finding the solutions but, at this moment in time, we are winning more than we are losing, so it is working for us.”
Hobbs is looking forward to Melksham – “they have arguably the best ground in the league which brings its own excitement,” - he says and the Yellows travel in good health.
In the Southern League Premier Division, Toverton Town will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing Sdefeat at home to Dorchester Town on Wednesday night.
Louis Morison and Jordan Lam were on target for Martyn and Scott Rogers’ side, who are at home again this weekend to Wimbourne Town.
Truro City are without a game this weekend, but they returned from their midweek trip to Willand Rovers having booked a place in the next round of the Southern League Challenge Cup.
Paul Wotton’s side were 3-1 winners at Silver Street with goals from Euan Pollock (2) and Stewart Yetton.
Willand are at home to Larkhall this weekend with Barnstaple at home to AFC Totten and Bideford travelling to Lymington Town.
In the Western League Premier Division, game of the day is at leaders Bitton, who entertain fourthplaced Helston Athletic.
Second-placed Tavistock head to bottom of the table Bridport, Saltash United visit Shepton Mallet, Mousehole entertain Clevedon Town and Millbrook head to Cadbury Heath.