FA VASE Saltash United 6 Radstock Town 0
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- Created on Sunday, 27 August 2023 12:36
- Last Updated on Monday, 28 August 2023 12:38
- Published on Sunday, 27 August 2023 12:36
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT Cornwall football's touchline ace
The Ashes took a breather from a poor start in the premier division – five straight defeats – to hammer a weakened division one Radstock at the Waterways Stadium on Saturday.
And Brown said: “I know people may expect us to beat Radstock at home, given they’re a division below and I know had a few missing on Saturday, but others would have seen it as a banana skin and it didn’t have to be as comprehensive as it was and that was down to us.
“Our decision making on the ball was so much better and if that was same in recent weeks we would have won more games.
“The obvious challenge now is to do it at our level, we have a really tough away trip on Tuesday at Brixham and we have to show that Saturday wasn’t a one off.”
Saltash had six different scorers against Radstock - Kieran O’Melia (10 minutes), Josh Toulson (32), Jordan Ewing (40), Ed Goodman (52), Tylor Love-Holmes (58) and Jake Foster (75).
Brown said: “It was good to see so many of our forwards on the scoresheet - Jordan, JT, Kia and Foz, with Ed and Tylor chipping in as well. JT was superb throughout and it was Tylor’s most intelligent performance for a while.
“He made some really good decisions on the ball, which was great to see, and scored a brilliant goal.
“The last 15 minutes or so could have been more controlled, and we have to recognise that because we want to be a really really good team, and that’s what good teams do.”
So where did the improvements come after such a bad start to the season, results wise at least?
Brown said: “There was more control in our play and that enabled us to create more serious chances, and obviously our end product was better, hence the scoreline.
“Yes it was better. I wouldn’t say it was much better because to be honest I didn’t think it needed to be ‘much’ better, from recent games as we have performed well, we just needed to improve one or two basics and that’s what we did.
“I have nothing but praise for the lads, I have so much respect for the way they’ve been in recent weeks, you really do find out about what you’ve got when the results are bad.
“I’ve seen some players this season leave pitches around the local scene laughing and joking after defeats, but our changing rooms have been like a morgue every week.
“Training has been excellent and then pre-game we’re all huddled around a TV in the changing rooms watching analysis clips from previous games as we endeavour to improve, and some of it is such a fractional bit of detail.
“But if we want to change results then we have to change elements of what we are doing on the pitch otherwise nothing will change, and on Saturday we saw the first signs of that.
“We’ve been critical towards them, but they’ve soaked it in and that’s what we are working with, and when that’s the case the results will always come.
“The basics were just done better on Saturday. There were no gifts given out. The centre backs were flawless, but they have to produce that every game now.”
He added: “I’m not getting carried away because it’s one clean sheet and all they have done is what is on a centre back’s job description for 90 minutes, nothing spectacular, but it’s a brilliant reaction from recent games and I respect that.”
The final praise from Brown was given to the Ashes’ loyal followers, who again gave the players a standing ovation at half-time and at the end. They have done it before – but that was after watching a losing performance.
Brown said: “The supporters genuinely are amazing. It’s one thing I never really experienced at Millbrook, the support of a big crowd, and they recognise the lads’ efforts and it doesn’t get lost on us.”
Saltash J Mead-Crebbin, B Goulty, E Wright, E Goodman (S Cox 63), T Huyton, L Murray, K O’Melia (J Preece 63), T Love-Holmes, J Ewing (J Foster 71), R Thomson, J Toulson.
Subs not used: M Pyman, N Crump, H Bunning, J Johnson.
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