KJM SPORT REPORT Saltash United 4 Millbrook AFC 0
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- Created on Thursday, 02 March 2023 06:16
- Last Updated on Friday, 03 March 2023 07:04
- Published on Thursday, 02 March 2023 06:16
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT Cornwall football's touchline ace
The Ashes will still be keeping an eye on title rivals Mousehole and Bridgwater - who meet at Trungle Parc tomorrow - but all Danny Lewis’s table-toppers can do is keep winning.
Early goals from Charlie Elkington and Callum O’Brien gave the Ashes the edge and when Josh Parry increased their lead immediately after half-time, Millbrook’s hopes of rebuilding had gone.
Sam Hughes’ goal to make it 4-0 five minutes later simply rubber-stamped another three points for the red hot Ashes.
Millbrook manager Macca Brown was philosophical in defeat.
Brown said: “I don’t want to sound silly here, because I’m aware we’ve lost the game 4-0 but I was actually pretty happy with large parts of the game while it remained a contest. It didn’t feel like a 4-0 result.
“But when you are away to teams at the top your performance has to be flawless and in the end it was only really a serious contest for 45 minutes due to the timing and nature of the goals we conceded.”
Brown went on: “Credit to Saltash, they scored at really good times which is disappointing for us and perfect for them.
“You have to get through that first 20 minutes, which is even more important against a team fighting for the title so you can start creating some doubt in their heads that it maybe a problem game for them.
“So to concede after just seven minutes was not ideal, especially from a set piece where they’ve not needed to carve us open.
“But the first half I felt we were good, and the only thing that separated the teams were two corners, (keeper) Ash Clelland hasn’t had too much to do other than pick the ball out of his net twice but that’s the fine margins.
“Unfortunately that’s not the first time that’s been the case this season for us, we knew they’d be a threat with Callum Martindale’s deliveries and COB in the box and they punished us twice.
“We were a real threat on the break but didn’t have that edge in the final third at all and let them off the hook a few times.”
Despite being 2-0 down, Brown revealed that the mood in the dressing room at half-time was positive.
He said: “We felt we were playing well enough to get back into the game and we were causing them enough problems, we asked for more belief but that’s was blown away in the five minutes after half-time which were catastrophic.
“Again, you have to get through the first 10 minutes because a goal at any time swings momentum, but we had conceded two more goals by the 50th minute which makes it game over.
“As a team we shouldn’t even be conceding chances, or any kind of openings in that period, so to concede two was devastating and it sucked the life out of us.
“So two corners and a five-minute mad period has basically seen us concede four goals and it’s game over with 40 minutes to play.
“Saltash didn’t then really have to get out of third gear and we had to ensure it wasn’t going to be one of those embarrassing nights which can easily happen.
“There are certainly some positives to take from it, it was very similar to Barnstaple a few weeks ago where set pieces have killed us and we know we can do better there, but we didn’t have a cutting edge in the final third like we did up there.
“But we can take so much from the game as a learning curve. Saltash are a top side as they’ve proved this season. They’ve matured as a team so much in the last few years and are so much better for it, results against them won’t define our season.
“It’s disappointing to lose the game with the feeling that we’ve contributed to our own downfall but Tuesday night was a lot easier to take than Saturday against Welton.”
Millbrook have a rare Saturday off before a testing return to action at home to Jake Ash's Mousehole, who start the weekend in second place ahead of tomorrow's eagerly-anticipated top of the table clash in west Cornwall.
“Next Tuesday we face another top team (Mousehole) so we have to ensure we learn from last night and take it into that game.”
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