On the performance as a whole 

It’s the last two games where we haven’t started a game well enough. Obviously Saturday we managed to turn the performance round and turn a 0-0 into victory. We haven’t managed to do that today, we gave ourselves something to chase in the second half. 

We huffed and puffed and had a few chances, we still didn’t work the ‘keeper enough in the second half for me, albeit we were looking likely that we were going to get back into the game. I think on the second half that getting a point would have been a fair result. But I have got to look at why we have started the last two games as pedestrian as we have. 

When you play against Barrow you know what they are going to do and when you come to Solihull on a Tuesday night you certainly know there was no surprises with the way they were going to play. But we looked a bit shellshocked by how the game played out in the first half, which surprises me because it’s all we’ve spoken about in preparation for tonight.  

On not being able to find a goal 

That disappoints because we have had goals about us of late and have looked a threat. We did look a threat going forward in the second half, there has been enough balls that have gone in their into their box and in around the final third. We just didn’t have that ruthlessness about us tonight. 

But like I say I am disappointed with the way that we have conceded the goal, it’s a cheap penalty to give away. Certainly, I need to look at why we have started the last two games as slow as we have. 

On competition for places and moving Sweeney into midfield 

Tonight your looking at size and Ricardo isn’t ready for 90 minutes, he was ready for 30 minutes tonight, we have had to be careful with getting him back in and around it. Putting Sweeney in there (midfield) tonight, was just a size thing because of what the team were up against. 

I want healthy competition obviously we will have Macca (McCallum) back around us Saturday as well which will give us some more physical presence up there. But I want competition, I’m going to need them all. I want all of them together in this, even the two young boys I have left out tonight. Everyone is going to need to get some football because everyone has a large number of games coming up. 

We have to show our togetherness, I have just told them in there that I don’t want anyone coming in Thursday with their heads down. Let’s make sure it’s a blip and put it right on Saturday, so I want a group of players ready to work to put tonight behind them and go again on Saturday. 

On bouncing back Saturday 

It’s massive, every game is really important now. I think that’s 15 games we have left now, the overall bigger picture and target we have set ourselves hasn’t changed. We know roughly how many wins we need in our last games, but it’s a missed opportunity to get a least another point on the board.

We go away with nothing which is bitterly disappointing, but like I say it’s the performance is what I need to look into because we have started the last two not how we’re expected to. 

On the fans 

I always appreciate them, sometimes we all stand here happy, clapping each other because we have won. But sometimes I have to stand here and front it and almost apologise because I want everyone to enjoy coming to watch us.

I want to enjoy playing good football and I want to enjoy winning football matches, but we haven’t ticked enough boxes tonight. But certainly, them coming out in their numbers is greatly appreciated, so thank you.