Showed everything here aside from winning mentality and a belief in just how good we are. Excellent first half, indeed probably the best football since Steve and myself took over last November, Dicko absolutely purring on the sideline as we knocked the ball around in some style.
So dominant at the start that it should have been game over within 30 minutes, that's the same story as Saturday and something we need to work on. Rikki Mackin in for Tiffo and pulled the strings just behind Jared, looked so dangerous going forward and a joy to watch from the sidelines.
Here's the rub, nothing won by pretty football, failed to kill the tie and a competent Stanway side gradually got a foothold on the game, a change to our settled back four of late and defensive positioning was not all it might have been as the lively home forwards finally became a threat.
What I can't fault is our work rate and effort in recent games, even rallied in this one despite desperately tired legs, close to taking game to pens but Hoppo's low drive just wrong side of the post.
So much disappointment with the result but a real step forward in quality of performance, a gradual improvement game by game of late, can't help thinking there's a very special display just around the corner.
Big name players wanting to play for this club now and they’re not just here for the ride, they want to win things and no reason we can't if team keeps on developing. Testimony to the boss the players are coming, man management second to none and he's encouraging a style of play that players actually enjoy - that doesn't always happen elsewhere. He's also been reading that Brian Clough book again but it does seem to be working, he asks Dicko and me for our views, then we all sit down and do it his way - that's the sign of a good Manager.
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