Gareth Dean fumes at Brackley Town ‘wasted opportunity’ - but positives to take before Radcliffe clash
Brackley Town manager Gareth Dean certainly didn’t mince his words after his side’s 3-2 defeat away at Hednesford last Saturday (October 17).
Dean was far from pleased with Brackley’s first-half performance as he watched his players give up an early 1-0 lead to go into the interval 3-1 down.
There was a great response in the second period, perhaps thanks to Dean berating his squad during his half-time team talk, but, despite Kieran Coates’ goal to reduce the arrears, it proved too little too late.
It was always going to be a difficult game away at Hednesford as they are play-off challengers in the National League North, but that doesn’t halt any frustrations.
“It feels like a wasted opportunity,” Dean told @BrackleyTownFC afterwards.
“We started well but then our game management for 15-to-20 minutes was just absolutely appalling.
“We can’t give into that, we’ve got to find solutions on the pitch. We’re losing first and second contacts in our box. The first goal was dreadful and the second and third were even worse.
“They’re unforgivable goals, really. As a defender, we wrote on the board today that you are going to have to defend your box well in this game and unfortunately we haven’t.”
On the improvement shown after the break, Dean admitted: “In the second half I thought we were really brave and moved the ball a lot better.
“We didn’t go off-script – we actually played the patterns that we worked on in the week.
“Whereas, in the first half, we were completely on our own agenda, doing things we hadn’t asked the group to do. Then, in the second, we were on the same page and saw the effects.
“I’m livid and fuming with the first half but really proud of the second, so it’s a strange one to go home and digest.”
Now 18th in the league standings, Brackley are equidistant - in points terms, at least - from both the relegation zone and the play-off positions.
Next in action at home to 20th-placed Radcliffe this upcoming Saturday, October 24, the Saints will be eager to get back to winning ways.
If they can do that, Brackley will shoot up the table and the Hednesford defeat will soon be forgotten. Lose, and then the Saints’ woes will continue.