Martin Allen admitted that he was disappointed to see his side slip to a late defeat against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium last night, but insisted that he will not be losing any sleep after the Bees were narrowly edged out.
Speaking after the game, the Barnet manager praised his side for the way that they recovered following a difficult start, saying:
“I was disappointed with the first half performance. I don’t think we really did ourselves any justice. But to be fair to us, we defended valiantly and put our bodies on the line, which our players always do. I thought we weathered the storm.
“In the second half that is how we normally play by trying to move the ball around the pitch. We played some great football during the second half and took the sting out of the opposition and the support.
“I don’t think they had a shot or a real effort at goal during the second half. We looked more than comfortable but to lose in the last minute from a set-play is off course disappointing. As long as they give everything they have got – which they did tonight – then I am pleased with them.”
Barnet named a new face in his starting line-up with 21-year-old goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel replacing Graham Stack for his first start for the club after joining on loan from West Ham United earlier that day, with Martin explaining:
"Stack injured his back over the weekend. He was unfit at half past eight yesterday morning when he came into the training ground.
"So yesterday morning at half past eight I had to try and find a goalkeeper. We got Mr Spiegel – I think that’s how you say his name – I call him Rafa, from West Ham yesterday morning and we met him on the bus on the motorway this afternoon.”
Yet despite having seen his side beaten by a last-gasp winner, Martin is confident that his players will have what it takes to bounce back at the weekend against Macclesfield Town as they look to get back to winning ways:
"I don’t personally celebrate when we win and I am not going to go out of here and bang my head against the wall when we have not won. It certainly won’t make me lose any sleep tonight.
"These players have got us to where we are: these players are good and I have faith in them. We stick together, work together, look after each other and help each other. We are a very close-knit bunch with the staff and the players and I think over the last few months the supporters have been close to us as well.
“We’re all disappointed that we haven’t played as well as we can do for the full duration and had a lapse of concentration at the end. We’re all hurt, but we’re a tough bunch, we’re a good bunch and we’ll dust ourselves down and be ready to go at the weekend.”
