Reaction From Chesterfield Assistant Boss Tommy Wright

Last updated : 05 February 2012 By Thetashkentterror

Tommy WrightSpireites number two Tommy Wright spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield and his club's official website after his side's 2-1 League One defeat against Carlisle at Brunton Park, Wright saying the visitors never looked in danger of losing the game until they twice switched off :

 

"As you can see from the game, I think at half-time we looked comfortable and for most of the second-half we looked comfortable, we never looked in danger of losing, we were controlling the game, we probably looked like the team that were going to get the second goal, especially when Nicky (Ajose) came on. He had two opportunities but we switched off, we switched off from a corner and a back-pass and it has cost us, and it has cost us dearly.

"We have been good defensively the last few weeks but you have got to switch on all the time, you are playing a team that is pushing for the play-offs, they are not going to give up, they are always switched on, and the first goal is a real killer. He (Ben Parker) has just run in, nobody is near him even though they know what their jobs are, he didn't even have to jump, he just headed it in the back of the net. Then obviously James (Hurst) made a bad mistake with the back-pass that obviously causes frustration because it is a game we should never have lost.

"Probably after about 70 minutes I thought we were in control, I know they had a lot of possession and they were pushing us back but I thought we looked lively on the break and we had the best opportunities. We needed the second goal but to lose the game is just cruel, two bits of lack of discipline and a bit of poor marking, we have only got ourselves to blame and we should be leaving Brunton Park with at least a point.

"I thought we started a bit slowly and sloppy, the first ten minutes I thought we were off the pace of the game but once we got into the game I thought we dominated the first-half. We looked decent, we looked strong, we looked good going forward and we looked like a threat. Then in the second-half we knew Carlisle would come at us obviously because they are the home team. and they did put us under pressure but we were dealing with it quite comfortably."

 

 

"Then we switched off from a set-play, the thing is though that if you give too many corners away, we gave too many corners away but I don't know what the number was, but it was far too many. You know with a corner you know that it is coming into your box and it gives the opposition a chance, so that is something we have got to look at, conceding too many free-kicks and corners. At Oldham the other night we gave too many set-plays away around our box and sooner or later the stats will tell you that if it keeps going into your box then it will drop to one of them.

"I am really disappointed and frustrated like everybody in the dressing-room, because we felt we were in a winning position and we were going to get three points, and we did look like we were going to get three points, but we switched off and it has cost us. So, to leave with nothing hurts, it is hard to explain really how frustrated we all feel at this moment in time.

"The problem with counter-attacking is when you get pushed back we are not keeping the ball good enough at times, and sometimes that is when you get pushed back you keep getting away. But, when we did keep the ball and we counter-attacked well we looked dangerous and we looked like we would score, but we needed to do that more often. I don't think we were hammering Carlisle but we certainly looked like we were going to win the game 1-0 or 2-0.

"On the best chance Ajose did well, he did a little bit of magic to step-over, he went past the defender (Lubomir Michalik) and it looked like it was going in and the lad (Peter Murphy) kicked it off the line. He had another chance earlier on as well, either of those would have put the game to bed, so he looked lively when he went on and I am sure he will do well here."

 

 

"There are positive signs but it doesn't feel like it because it is five o'clock and we have just gone to the bottom of the league again and we have lost a game we should have got something out of. So, it is frustrating and disappointing but back to work on Monday and get ready for a very important and tough game against the league leaders Charlton.

"It would have been good for confidence if we could have got out of the bottom four today. We have had a good few weeks obviously with the cup games and a couple of the league ones, but it has brought us back down to earth. I hope it has taught the players one thing, you can't switch off in football because if you switch off you will get punished, and that is what we did today.

"It was very, very cold and snowy and I was surprised the game was on but credit to Carlisle and the groundstaff that they have got the game on. So, we appreciate our support, obviously it was difficult weather to get up here as well, everybody is frustrated, they will be frustrated driving home but we will kick on and we will go again next week, but straight after the game it is disappointing and it is a knock.

"There aren't any fresh injuries at this moment straight after the game, I think frustration is probably the biggest injury we have got at the moment. But, you have got to pick yourself up, you get kicks in football, we have had a bit of praise in the last few weeks, probably have to get back on the track next week against Charlton. They are the leaders, the leaders by some way, they have beaten the two Sheffield clubs and they have beaten Huddersfield so they are deservedly top and they will be very difficult to beat. But, on our day I think we can beat anybody and we will go for it and we will do our best."