Ian Perkins (Page 42)

Here’s what Yeovil boss, Mark Cooper said to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall following the Dartford draw.

Ian Randall: Well, Mark, thanks for your time. I think there was a knowing nod between you and Alan Dawson at the end. You you’d had a decent competitive game there today.

Mark Cooper: The game should be over at half time.

IR: Well, it should be over after 15 minutes, arguably.

MC: We should be sat on the bus with at least four or five goals but listen, that’s football. We had total domination in the first half. They had one cross in our box which we didn’t defend. I’ve made those feelings known. I think we had 12 big chances. I’ve just seen 12 big chances that the way we played and what we set up, we cut them open, they couldn’t deal with our two number tens rotating into the middle of the pitch. Through balls, clean through on goal numerous times, side foots into an empty net and somehow we let their keeper make saves when should be just rolling in the corners. But listen, it sometimes happens like that, and then at half time I kind of knew what was coming because they have to do something and you know we had to battle for a point in the end. Yeah, it’s just the way it is. And at half time I would have settled for a point because I knew what was coming,

IR: Would you be more angry if you hadn’t made twelve chances? Because by making twelve chances, that says there’s not a lot wrong with the process.

MC: [It’s] Exactly what we worked on after the Bath game and being more in control of the game and cutting them open with our two number 10s rotating into the middle of the pitch and overloading it. Sliding the ball through clean on goal. That’s what we worked on and that’s what we do. And, I’m pleased as a coach that we created that number of chances.

IR: But as you say, Sanford had his day, didn’t he?

MC: Listen, first half, we were magnificent and the football we played. I just said to the players there, as a coach, I can get from the edge of our box, to the edge of theirs really safely and in control of the game. But I can’t do the last bit, which means you got a desire to head the ball out of your goal and mark your man and I can’t finish and show you how to finish when you’re under pressure. That’s an individual thing, and that’s what it is. We weren’t good enough in both boxes so, we should score loads and we gave two crap goals away.

IR: In terms of your attacking play, there was quite a lot of chaos at times in the Dartford area. Does that make it harder for the forwards because it is a very uncontrolled situation?

MC: No, because before the chaos comes calm where we’re running in on goal or it’s a pullback and it’s a free shot at the goalkeeper from 6/8 12 yards. The chaos comes when the goalie saves it and it rebounds and then we get a second chance. But the first chance is clear cut and we should be more precise. But listen forwards sometimes missed chances. If we play like we did first half 100 times we win, I think 99.

IR: Overall, then, at the end of this sequence, this long series of away matches you finished seven points clear. You’ve got a clear week now, and a home game. The joy of a home game next week with with some time to get a few bumps ready, hopefully?

MC: Yeah. We’re looking forward to it. Looking forward to having a clear week, we can rest for a couple of days, get the boys really fresh and a cracking game for us at home to Hampton and Richmond next Saturday.

IR: Will they get days off now because they’ve done a lot of miles, you’ve had a busy schedule, is it question of just actually just releasing the valve almost?

MC: Sometimes less is more and more is less. You know, sometimes they need to rest and and that’s better than training. I don’t think there’s anything too structurally wrong with us. We look a good team. We look as like we know what we’re doing certainly with the ball. And we just have to keep recreating those, those kind of performances and certainly the players will get time to rest this week, but we’ll also have some time where we’ve gotta work really hard.

IR: And just about calmness, Jordan Young was calm with the chance at 2-2, because the ball, the ball did ricochet to him in the D and he never looked like he was going to miss?

MC: The lads were saying in there if some of them had six shots at John Lennon today, he’d still be alive. So yeah, I fancied Youngy on that one because it sat up really nice. He’s been great, hasn’t he? And listen for the first half was a brilliant performance. It’s just a shame it hasn’t ended with a win.

Jordan Young spoke to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall following the Glovers 2-2 draw at Dartford. Here’s what he had to say.

Ian Randall: Jordan, thanks for your time. What was Mark’s message at the end?

Jordan Young: Probably disappointment. Overall, I think you know, [in the] first half, we had so many chances. It was frustrating that we didn’t put more away and then conceded one goal in the first half that was the only thing they did. You know, it’s disappointing when you come at half time. Second-half is always going to be difficult. You know, disappointing overall.

IR: Did you speak about the wind as a factor in the game? Because when you were left to play with it in the first half, were you conscious that and you we’ve got to make capital out of this?

JY: A little bit. I mean, obviously you can see in the first half you know the ball’s going up in the air and it’s running through. So you know, Murph gambled really well and got in a couple of times and yeah, we used that. In the second-half it wasn’t as bad, I don’t think so it was kind of more of an even game I would say.

IR: And you know, you had two attempts from distance in the first half. One just over the bar, one that clipped the top of the bar, and Sonny Blu, hit the bar from halfway. So it was the day when there might have been a really unusual goal scored?

JY: Yeah, of course. I’m just waiting for a free kick to actually go in instead of hitting the bar every week. You know, but that’s the thing it’s game of margins, isn’t it? You know, one of them goes in it’s 2-0, it’s a different storyline. Yeah, we’ve just got to keep going. We’re in a good position, just got to keep going.

IR: And equally, you had to keep going when Chin scored as well, because to come out of this with nothing would have seemed, would have seemed desperately unjust. And it was Michael’s cut back when he got away on the right that created your goal to make it 2-2.

JY: Yeah, well, we we always know we can score goals and I think it was a sloppy goal to concede, the second one. We just needed to make sure that we didn’t lose the game in the end, which we did, you know, and it’s an away game. You come away, sometimes you take a point, don’t you?

IR: As the season has unravelled, have have you noticed that people are paying more and more attention to you as an individual and they get markers doubling up on you. You know, you’re you’re having a lot more fouls committed against you, that sort of thing?

JY: Not particularly. I think we’ve got good players in our team and we’ve got good wingers the other side as well. We get a lot of fouls because we attack quite frequently with our team. It’s obviously a compliment that when someone doubles up on you, there’s space somewhere else in there. So that’s just what we’re trying to do.

IR: And at 2-2 at the end, 10 minutes to go you were still chasing the third one and, in fact, both teams were to be fair?

JY: Yeah, it was a bit end to end. I mean, we wanted to win the game, so of course we’re going to look for a goal and make sure we we’re solid at the back, which we were in the end. Yeah, we take the point away.

IR: What does the next week look like?

JY: We’ve got no midweek game, so a little bit of rest in the week and then we go again next week.

IR: Do you do you need that? [a rest]

JY: I think so. I mean, we had lots of games, haven’t we? Saturday Tuesday, and we’ve had three games this week. So I think I think the boys definitely need it, yeah.

IR: And Hampton next week is is important too, because they’re tucked right in behind you, aren’t they?

JY: Yeah, it’s a massive game and we’ll go into that fresh and looking to win.

Goalscorer Morgan Williams spoke to BBC Somerset following the victory at Bath City. Here’s what he said to Ian Randall.

Ian Randall: Well, Morgan, that feels like a big result for you does it?

Morgan Williams: Yes, 100%. we knew this game was going to be massive as it’s a derby, but it just feels surreal right now that we’re sat here with the three points.

IR: How much of a touch did you get on on Charlie Cooper’s cross?

MW: I think it was very clean. To be fair, I have to watch it. But yeah, it was absolutely buzzing at the moment.

IR: You were so close in that there was very little reaction time for the keeper. So you kind of knew get it on target and good chance it would go in..

MW: Yeah, Charlie’s got a beautiful delivery on him. Like as Youngy, but obviously it was Charlie that took the free kick today and it was just a perfect free kick.

IR: In terms of the pattern of the game, not much in it for an hour, but Michael Smith cleared the ball off the line from Elliot Frear and it seemed to be that that was the point at which you came on stronger and Bath lost a bit of their energy.

MW: Yeah, I think it was. It’s a massive moment from Smudger clearing off the line. We have to defend beautifully in our box and obviously try [to] be ruthless in their box. And I think that’s the game like, you can’t be perfect every game. We know we didn’t play magnificent. We were far off it today. But sometimes you have to come to these away games and derby days and kind of just grind, grind the result out and we’ve done that today. We’ve kept a clean sheet, we spoke massively on that beforehand, that we’ve not kept many clean sheets this year, so, we’re really proud of that and we have to take that into Saturday.

IR: In terms of the defence started with three of you at the back with the two wing backs. Yeah, ultimately went to a four at certain points and and Thomas gave you some anxious moments at the back. He was he was lively for Bath?

MW: Yeah, he was. He was. He was good player. We know that they’ve got, they’ve got good players as across the whole league, we’ve got good players as well. But I think we dealt with that well. If you got a ball and we defended well, Dunc and Dawesy doubled upon him on the wing and I think we dealt with that quite well.

IR: And in in terms of the the top end of the picture, I think  Mark’s phrase ‘tee to green’ on Saturday you couldn’t finish anything. Today there wasn’t a great deal in that first hour, but as the game got a bit more stretched, you you you got a bit more joy.

MW: Yeah, definitely. I think that’s how it is. We know that we’re we’re very fit and that if we can be 0-0 until the 60th minute, if it’s not falling for us, then we know that we’ve got that extra energy to go get that extra goal.

IR: So on to Dartford now at the weekend, the last away game in this sequence. This probably stretches back then you can remember but if you could top that sequence off with another, it’s really putting pressure on the chasers, even people like Maidstone and Torquay who’ve won during the week, they’re not gaining ground on you.

MW: Yeah, I think it’s massive. We’ve just gotta go to Saturday and try to get the three points again and then back at home next week and try go again.

Mark Cooper spoke to the BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall following Yeovil’s 1-0 win at Bath City last night. Here’s what he had to say.

Ian Randall: Well, Mark, predictably, I suppose it was tight and decided by a set piece.

Mark Cooper: Yeah, it was a very typical local derby. Tight game, loads of mistakes. I think Sunday drained us emotionally, physically as well. The injury to Whittle causes a problem. We then had to change shape a couple of times. I thought Bath were really good – stretched us. But, the desire, the, the togetherness and the commitment of the whole group tonight was what got us through.

IR: You said that you were drained by Sunday, but actually you finished the stronger.

MC: Yeah, we needed a spark, and we got a spark. It was a couple of balls that flashed across the goal that we should have scored from. And then eventually we got one didn’t we? And then we started to come on top and play a little bit then and [play] a little bit more like us. But listen, it’s never going to be easy to win promotions or win things. There’s always times in the season when you have to really dig in, the weather’s changed, it’s cold, the pitches are starting to get heavy. You have to dig in and we did that.

IR: Michael Smith made an important clearance too at at 0-0 from Elliot Frear’s shot and at that point. That was where Bath started to look as if they were running in treacle, a bit. That was when the balance started to tip, I thought.

MC: Yeah, our players just get through it. They keep going, they keep grinding, got some real warriors out there. Alex Fisher coming in for his first game. He’s played 90 minutes – amazing. He played right wing for 30 then. I’ve watched Bath, they’re a really good team. The managers done a terrific job. They’ve got some really exciting players. I thought their right winger was outstanding. And credit to Jerry [Gill], they’re a really good team and they gonna have a really good season.

IR: How is Whittle?

MC: Whittle’s alright. We thought he felt something in his calf, but hopefully it’s not too bad and it’ll be OK for Saturday.

IR: Some of the sides that won last night might have looked at tonight as being a tricky sort of game for you, but you’ve you’ve stepped away from the pack again and got the gap back up to six [points].

MC: I’m sure they did. And like we all do “they might win there, they might lose there.” I’m sure we all do that. And you know, I’m sure that would have waited a few tonight that we’ve we’ve managed to nick a win. But yeah, we know we gotta be better, of course, but we can’t play brilliant every week about a couple of weeks we’ve been a little bit hit and miss, but we bounced back with a win in front of the brilliant away support. [It] is incredible for for the level.

IR: You used the word ‘nicked’. Do you feel you’ve nicked it then?

MC: I think if you’re always in the game, you’ve always got a chance to win it. Think it was pretty even, there wasn’t loads of chances. I think we had more chances in the second-half and should score a couple. Smudge clears one off the line so could have gone either way.

IR: And now the little matter of a 300 mile round trip back to southeast London to go to Dartford on Saturday. How how awkward will that Be?

MC: No, [we’re] looking forward to it. Looking forward to it, every game we we take a massive following with us. We’re looking forward to every game. Players will get a day off tomorrow to recover and then we’ll train on Friday and make sure we’re really ready for the game.

IR: Were there meaningful celebrations at the end because in a sense, both the squad you and the fans knew what this meant?

MC: I think you should celebrate when you win a game like that. I don’t think there’s anything wrong. We’re together, we celebrated together in front of a brilliant away following. So we make no bones about celebrating like that.