Port Vale 1-0 Lincoln City reaction – it’s a massive squad effort
Post-match reaction to Port Vale’s narrow 1-0 home win over Lincoln City from assistant manager Andy Crosby, goalscorer Dan Butterworth and Lincoln boss Mark Kennedy.
Andy Crosby
It was our third game in a week against opponents who have been on a really good run. They play with a style which meant that we had to keep transitions to a low because they have real pace and threat on the counter attack.
I thought we managed the game really well; they maybe settled quicker than we did but once we got into a rhythm, I thought the way we kept the ball and the spaces we could utilise on the pitch against their formation, we did. It was always a close game – there was always something likely to happen and maybe it had 1-0 written all over it so, thankfully for us, we got the one moment and Butts arrives in the box and tucks it away really well.
They play in a mid-low block; they went to Ipswich and had 28% possession and won 1-0, with 31 shots against. They have the tools to hurt you on the counter attack, so we had to be wary of that and we spoke about it yesterday, pre-game and at half-time because our concentration and organisation while we were attacking had to be bang on.
It is a massive squad effort. Following six games in the month, to pick up ten points against the calibre of opponents we have played has made it a really good month. To finish on three points today makes it a good month.
Virtually every player has had minutes this month and you have to be ready; you never know when the team is going to change and we picked a team today to be fresh, to go into the third game of the week and be ready for their threat but also to try and utilise the ball and thankfully the guys have come in and done the job.
I think, in all honesty, we are a little disappointed with the points total we have from the games we have played. I think we ran Ipswich really close on Tuesday night and probably deserved something for the effort and the quality we showed on the day.
We keep trying to look at the process and the performance and if you get those things right, nine times out of 10 you get three points.
On Dan Butterworth
Dan is a massive threat if you can get the ball to him in spaces. He can drive away from people and he has great end product. We have to try and get him into better goalscoring positions rather than doing his work outside the box, because as a number ten – so to speak – he has to create chances and score goals as well.
Massive credit to him, he comes in having been a little frustrated he hasn’t had more opportunities because he has done well when he has played. He got the decisive goal and will go home in a happy place.
David Worrall
I was really happy to get my first goal; it is something that I need to add to my game – more goals – so once it hit the back of the net I was buzzing.
I think I have always had an eye for goal but previously I haven’t been getting in those positions but it goes to show if I get in those positions I can put it away.
I have been itching to start more games and I feel like when I have been coming on I have changing the game, so I was just waiting for that one start to show what I can do and it was even better to get a goal
On his role in the team
I really enjoy playing there and feel like I have a lot of freedom. The two strikers in front of me today, Ellis and Mipo, I know they are going to make the runs so I just have to try and provide for them.
I know what Ellis is about because we were at Fleetwood Town together so I know he will always be in the box, Mipo is fast and gets in behind and makes them runs to stretch the game for us – we worked really well together.
Lincoln manager Mark Kennedy
The bottom line is we were below par today, and not at our best in terms of our technical executions and maybe a yard too slow mentally as well.
In the final third we didn’t work their ‘keeper at all. We had one brilliant opportunity in the second half, the one versus one we didn’t put away, but our execution and the decision making in the final third was really, really poor.