Boreham Wood manager Ian Allinson spoke both exclusively and honestly to Grant Morris our website and media manager, after our FA Trophy Cup defeat at Concord.
The gaffer explained his team selection and the reasons why he changed a winning team for the FA Trophy game at Concord. He also explained he would repeat it again for our forthcoming Herts Senior Cup tie at Hertford on Tuesday evening.
With the Wood having remained unbeaten throughout November, Allinson decided to make five changes to the team that had beaten Weston 4-0 in the league five days earlier. He felt he wanted to keep the whole squad fresh and needed to protect one or two players who had been playing with niggles.
With that in mind, he brought in experienced player/coach Mario Noto for Graeme Montgomery, he brought in our Arsenal loanee Austin Lipman for the influential Junior Morias, he brought in England U/18 international David Moli for the league’s top goal scorer Lee Angol and he also brought in Scott Thomas for the all action Ricky Shakes.. The fifth change was forced on the manager, as our ever present centre half Josh Hill was suspended for the game. So Harry Hickford the recent loan signing from MK DONS defender, took his place in our defence..
The Gaffer said “The FA Trophy is an important competition on a number of levels not least of all the financials, so I’m very disappointed to go out without a fight but the league has to be my priority this season. That said I can take nothing away from Concord, they were better than us all over the park and I wish them the best of luck in the next round”.
He went on “every player I put in the side on Saturday has a pedigree, has talent, had my trust and had earnt the right to play or they wouldn’t have started. In hindsight I have to be honest and say, some of them simply didn’t turn up and if you do not apply yourselves at this level then you lose football matches”..
“My players knew what to expect, they all knew their jobs and most importantly they had the chance to impress me and stake a claim for a start against Hayes next Saturday.. I need every player from 1 to 16 to be ambitious, hungry and adapt to bad pitches, set backs and tough conditions”.
“We’ve shown all season we can bounce back but unfortunately that was not the case on Saturday. I have to take ultimate responsibility for that, as I did rest key players. Those key players have on reflection had scored close to thirty goals already this season but I’ll say it again, if we’re going to mount any sort of play off challenge, then i’ve got to manage a smallish but talented squad, manage a growing belief and work with tight budget. I am going to have to make tough calls and I will need all my players to be mentally tough, disciplined, remain match fit and to be ready to put a shift in whenever they are called upon”.
“So I chose to rest some key players after a busy November where we had remained unbeaten, I felt there was a bigger picture for me to consider. as I know I’ll need fresh legs and minds throughout December and the remainder of the season. Last Saturday has now gone and next Saturdays league game against Hayes now has to be my priority”.
Allinson finished by saying “I do apologise to our supporters, as our performance at Concord was below the standards we’ve set in the league. Again though I must give praise to our opponents who were terrific. I will ensure there is now a positive response to our defeat and if we can come out the traps and beat Hayes this Saturday and keep our unbeaten league run going, then the club, the players and our supporters, can have a decent December and a very good Christmas.. He concluded.
