Micky's thoughts after the pre-season draw away to Kidderminster
Town played their first away pre-season game and much like Saturday's draw with Kilmarnock it was a game of two halves.The first saw Town not getting into gear or firing on all cylinders but in the second it was a much better display, and one that probably should have seen Town win the game.
It was another good work out for Micky Mellon's side and the Town manager was happy with the second 45 minutes.
“I was certainly happy with the second half display which was more like us, but in the first half I felt we gave Kidderminster too much respect.
“If we think we can come here and play Academy football without having to fight for the right to play then we have another thing coming.
“We spoke to the lads at half-time and put a few things right and they came out in the second half and gave a miles better performance.
“The second half was more like the performance we will have to put in over the season ahead of us.
“Absolute credit must go to Kidderminster for making us defend the way we had to, it's really the first time we've been asked those questions.”
Kidderminster's opening goal came about from some sloppy Town play and this was the theme over the first half performance.
“It was a sloppy goal but then we were sloppy all over, we never passed it with any urgency, we never tried to get it back, we never ran hard enough”, added the Town manager.
“In the second half full credit to the boys as they were miles better than in the first.”
The second half display was much better from Town and much more to Micky's liking. The chances continued to fall during the last 45 minutes but it was just the one excellent finish from James Collins to show for it:”
I don't think anyone who saw the game will say that we didn't deserve to get anything from the game.
“We got the reaction we wanted and pretty much controlled the second half and played some good football.
“We've got to start games better and we've got to win our battles and compete, if you don't do that then you don't have the right to play.
“Strikers always want to score goals and it was a really well worked goal and a deserved goal.”
There were changes to the team which lined up against Kilmarnock on Saturday, some by choice and some forced on the Town manager:”We have made a lot of chances tonight and a lot of players who played need to and I’m glad they have got that time under their belts now.
“Scott Vernon is ill, he phoned in this morning and we seem to be picking up bugs up at the moment but that's to be expected when the lads are tired.
“Jermaine Grandison went off at half-time with a bit of a hamstring problem so well have to keep an eye on that.
“We are in again tomorrow and we will look at it and talk about the game and make sure that we can go into games like this with a better mindset.”