Assistant Manager Gab Skelton spoke to us after last night’s Cumberland Cup win over Whitehaven Miners Social.
“It was a professional job,” he said. “I was happy that the players approached it the right way. It can be a difficult game, but we approached it the right way, respecting the game, respecting the competition, respecting the opponent and trying to do things correctly for 90 minutes. They took pride in being professional soccer players.
“The work they got was satisfactory and I hope Whitehaven enjoyed the night in some way despite the score. They tried to continue in the right way and were physically We tried to keep playing from the back without being too much and I think the keeper made some good saves as well. Credit to them and from our point of view it was a really professional way of playing the game.
“They are professional football players and it is their duty to go out and be professional and they have been. We have to be respectful, uphold good standards and make the right decisions. At times we were so critical that when we went into the final third we missed the target for no reason. It’s boring when you’re 13-0 up, but always Look for small improvements.
“I thought they approached it the right way. It can be difficult because it’s unwinnable and difficult to approach. In terms of their attitude and commitment, it was top notch.
“I hope it was an enjoyable evening for everyone, without the stress, trials and tribulations of previous seasons. It’s fine for a short period of time, but of course the main focus is on Saturday’s league.”
“It was always the plan to give it to Josh. [Emmanuel] 45 minutes,” he continued. “He was playing in a back three, but we asked him to play and work as a wing-back, and he did that. He was on the overlap right from the start. His enthusiasm is contagious and he has such a good personality and attitude towards work that he probably wanted to be outside.
“The time he and Ben Barclay got tonight puts them closer to being available on Saturday. It’s beneficial and just getting back on a full-size pitch gives them reality.”
“The players were professional right up until the end, which I was happy about, because you can get sluggish and sloppy. We scored 13 goals, which may sound ridiculous, but that’s the kind of standard we always look for. We can evaluate everyone correctly. We’ve scored 13 goals. That’s the biggest takeaway from this game, attitude, and practice.
“Whitehaven were really respectful when they came, the way they approached the game, the way they tried to play from the back, the way they continued. They made some good blocks and The keeper made some good saves and I said, “I’ve been in games that can get a little bit physical, but tonight it didn’t happen?”