Jacko's thoughts after the 0-0 draw at Carlisle
Mike Jackson didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after last night’s goalless draw with fellow strugglers Carlisle at Brunton Park. But the Town chief was honest enough to admit his side rode their luck at times and that a point was a decent return as the bottom of League One bunched up ever tighter after results elsewhere.
“I thought we were poor first half,” said Jackson. “Connor Goldson and Joseph Mills were outstanding all the game. Outstanding. They’ve kept us in the game tonight. We rode our luck in the first half and we seemed to be lacking a bit of energy. Maybe it’s crept up a little bit with playing Saturday/Tuesday these last few weeks I don’t know? But I wasn’t happy at all with that first half and I let the players know that at half time. That’s the first time I’ve had to go in and say to them: ‘that’s not acceptable.’ In the 2nd half we got ourselves going a little bit but we asked them to keep the ball and we didn’t do that enough. We had to make a few changes because we didn’t have the legs out there today. We’ve had some good chances – Aaaron’s had one and Eavesy could have squared that back to Sam. But it’s a good point. I thought the back four were outstanding and where the strikers won it for us the other day, they’ve got us the point tonight.”
Jermaine Grandison had to go off in the first half with Jackson not knowing the full extent of the injury – although he suggested a hamstring pull for the defender. “We always knew this could happen with the Saturday/Tuesday games but obviously being where we are you have to use them. But we have to move on. We’ve got the deadline on Tuesday but we’ve got Dominic (Iorfa) to go in there so there’s an opportunity for the lad. Trying to get young lads in now and getting them up to speed in 4 weeks is hard, so we’ll speak to the scouts. We need to bring the right players in, there’s no point bringing them in for the sake of it. We’ll speak to the lads; see how they’re going, how they’re feeling and go from there. “
With Notts County winning and defeats for Tranmere and Crewe, Jacko knows just how tight it is down at the foot of the table – a point from safety, and a point from bottom spot: “Notts County won did they? Well it’s game on then isn’t it?” said the Town boss. “I’m delighted to hear that Miles Storey scored for Swindon at Tranmere – that’s brilliant! We’ve not done enough ourselves tonight but a point’s a point. We’re better than that, especially after what we showed on Saturday. It’s disappointing in some respects but I’m delighted with a point the way the game went.”
Town now move on to Saturday’s clash at Walsall, with the Saddlers boosted by their 2-0 win at Valley Parade last night. “I think that will be our fifth away game out of six,” Jackson said, ”and we’ve not done too badly in some cases picking up odd points here and there. We’ve got four points from the last six but I think tonight was a sign of two teams that were a little bit nervous and lacking in quality and it showed with a nil-nil.”