Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has told BBC Somerset that he hopes his Yeovil side will take a loss to Hemel Hempstead as a ‘slap around the face’ and a ‘kick up the backside’.
Speaking to Sheridan Robins, he praised the Glovers’ support at the game, but couldn’t hide his frustration.
“First of all, I thought it was an unbelievable turnout from the supporters, we didn’t give them what they deserved, so that’s a big frustration, but it can happen, we’ve had a good pre-season, everybody talking us up. It was always going to be a difficult game, really difficult pitch, no excuses, but we didn’t perform like we have done in attacking areas today.”
There were attacking debuts (or re-debuts) for a number of players, but it didn’t lead to an upturn of fortunes in front of goal.
“We didn’t spark, we put as many forward players on the pitch as we could, but they didn’t spark today. If they don’t, you’re relying on keeping a clean sheet at the other end, but a calamitous goal sums the day up.
“It could be a good thing for us, it could be a kick up the backside, that this might not be easy – not that we ever thought it was – but it might be a slap round the face to say ‘we’ve got work to do’.”
“For me it was a case of it might have to be a 93 or 94 minutes, because they were wasting time, but to do that you have to keep a clean sheet and not give them anything to hold on to, and that’s exactly what we did. “
A single Joe Iaoficano goal was all that separated the sides for the opening day defeat, but the Glovers now go into a spell of FOUR matches in a row at Huish Park..
“Frustrating day, but we’ve got four home games now, as frustrating day as it was for everybody, we have to keep calm and not panic, and keep focus and perspective and be ready for next Saturday.”
Speaking on goalkeeper Will Buse, whose error led to the goal, the gaffer was quick to look at the wider picture regarding Saturday’s game.
“He’ll have to learn from that, but, what I will say is we didn’t spark at the top of the pitch, for me, we were flat at the front of the pitch and that’s where we were really good in pre-season, so it’s frustrating. We really appreciated the support today and we’ve got to be better than that, the players know that, we’ve got to keep it in perspective, they need to stick with us, we’ll be alright, we’ll be fine.”
Mark Cooper was talking to BBC Somerset, the interview on the YTFC Social Channels was slightly different but covered the same topics.