Liam pleased with squads display in Shropshire Senior Cup
Town skipper Liam Lawrence was glad to be backing playing football after the sides return to pre-season training. So far the players have been getting down to the hard work on the training pitch but they were all pleased to get some match time under their belts.
Trips to local non-league sides always prove to be a tough test but Town went about things the right way and came away with an impressive 6-0 victory. The scoreline could have been a lot higher had it not been for the heroics of Drayton keeper Rawlings and some resolute defending.
Lawrence came on as a half-time substitute and thought it was a good result and workout for the team:”It was good yes, we played two teams and we needed all the lads to get something out of the game.
“It was good to play as we needed that rather than just training and also good to get a good win.
“That's now in the bank as they say, it was better in the second half as there was some rain on the pitch and they were tired.”
At half-time Town changed the whole of the starting eleven to make sure everyone got at least 45 minutes match time. It shows the strength and depth that Town currently have in their side:”I've just spoken to Jacko and said there's good competition in a great group of lads.
“The gaffer and Jacko have now got a job to do this season as they have got a lot of decent players to choose from.”
Liam went down in pain early in the second half after catching Dayton striker Everell. He needed treatment from Skitty but was able to run off the knock and get through the half with no problems:”I went down the back of the lads leg and then I landed half on the side of my ankle and it cracked a bit.
“It's ok now, I ran if off and it doesn't seem to be a problem.”
All Town's goals came in the second half with Scott Vernon, Tyrone Barnett, Martin Woods and Mickey Demetriou all getting on the scoresheet. The Skipper was quick to praise the work that Town's wingers had played:”There were some very good goals and some brilliant finishes.
“I thought Jean-Louis and Shaun Whalley were brilliant on the wings and with Venry coming into the hole.
“We kept giving those three the ball and letting them do the damage and there were some good finishes, especially from Verny.”
Over the 90 minutes Town fans will have been impressed with some of the quick attacking football that their side was playing. The game plan was for Town to attack and move the ball quickly at a high tempo and that's what they did:”We spoke before the game and said don't just come and have 10 to 15 passes at the back and slow the game down and treat it like it is a friendly.
“We wanted to go and attack the game and get something from it and I felt we did that.
“In the first half we got Clicker into the hole and got Collo into position for those half turns.”
Once Town got on the scoresheet they didn't sit back and kept looking for more. Liam revealed that he had been urging his side to keep pushing for more goals:”When we were coming back after the second goal I said to everyone 'more'.
“We wanted to go and get more and punish them, they were reeling and tired and we put them to a sword.”
Next up on the pre-season programme for Town are three home games against Championship opposition in Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The three games will prove a different test for Town as the look to the start of the season at home to Millwall:”Today with all respect it was Market Drayton but next we have Cardiff, Birmingham and Wolves.
“If we can apply ourselves like we did today then I'm sure we will be alright.
“Playing those kind of teams with those type of players will show us where we really are.”