Gaffer's thoughts after FA Cup win
Paul Hurst’s first home game in charge saw Town come out victorious for only the fourth time this season with a 3-0 win in the FA Cup.Goals from Sadler, Leitch-Smith and a screamer from Jack Grimmer were enough to see off a Barnet side who rarely troubled Jayson Leutwiler’s goal.
It was an assured display from Town, who hadn’t won since a 3-2 victory at Oldham in September and Hurst was pleased to get the win and get through to the next round of the FA Cup.
“It’s a clean sheet, something we haven’t had for a while, a win at home and just a win generally,” Hurst told the gathering Press.
“That was something I said to the players before the game that it had been a couple of months since we last won, we wanted to change that around and they put a shift in.
“I thought they started off a little nervous in truth. I think when we went 2-0 up you saw a different set of players and we looked a threat. I thought we started to pass the ball at times and looked as though we might score another goal.
“Second half they had to throw a few more men forward and perhaps left a few gaps, but when you are a team that hasn’t won for so long I think you have to be very pleased and not get carried away, but enjoy today.”
The win was also only Town’s second clean sheet of the season and Paul was pleased with how his side defended from back to front against a dangerous Barnet side.
“We knew that their size was a big danger,” said Paul.
“I’ll be honest, we didn’t work too much on that on the training ground, we highlighted it, but I think you can sometimes get bogged down and make it almost too much of a fear factor and when you’re out there it’s hard to replicate a throw like that anyway.
“They are a very difficult team to play against. We rode our luck along the way. Second half one hit the foot of the post I think, they had one or two other moments as well.
No matter how bigger team you are yourselves you are always going to be under pressure from that Barnet side, because unless the ball goes out in the other half of the pitch, it was still coming into your box. So, credit to the players because balls into the box are something that goals have been conceded from in the past.
“I thought we defended well last week at Southend and followed that up. There were some bits last week that I was pleased with and today they backed that up. It would have been easy to have thought we were getting somewhere and take a big backwards step, but it was a good day for us.”
Town’s three goal scorers all put in eye catching performances and Hurst was pleased to score three goals and happy to see AJ Leitch-Smith’s name back on the scoresheet.
“I thought Jack Grimmer did well, he came in and was on the front foot,” said Hurst.
“He’s got a little bit of pace and that’s what’s happened for his goal. He was positive and if you don’t shoot you don’t score and he’ll not catch many better than that one.
“Sads reacted well to a good free-kick from Jim and I thought the other goal was an excellent goal, one that I think AJ’s needed.
“I went with the two up front today and I think his performance was very lively. On another day he could have had the match ball, but he will be pleased to have that one in a winning team.
“Since I’ve come in he’s been great. He just seems a nice lad. Last week when he wasn’t involved he just got on with his job. He put a shift in, his movement was excellent and he looked a threat.
“It’s the biggest thing as a centre forward, he will go home thinking ‘I’ve scored and I could have had some more, so he’ll be pleased with his day’s work.”