With a Little Bit of Luck
WITH decisions and key moments going against his side once more in a 1-0 defeat to MK Dons, Derek Adams wants to see the rub of the green fall back in his side’s favour.
Aidan Nesbitt’s goal in the eighth minute was enough to give the visitors the victory at Home Park, with Graham Carey’s dismissal 25 minutes later making the Greens’ task of avoiding a third straight defeat too difficult to overcome.
That is despite yet more encouraging signs from Adams’ side, taking the game to the Dons even when a man down, forcing them to engage in some of the footballing dark arts to prevent an equaliser.
“I thought we started the game well,” said Derek. “We finished the game very strongly. I thought we were the better team on the day.
“I think we forced them back [down] the pitch. We had a lot of decent play. It’s not easy to start with because we’ve got to be canny in a way and not allow space. Later on in the game, we can take that opportunity to go forward. We’ve got to try and get that goal.
“Joel Grant has an unbelievable chance and should score, and Sonny Bradley from a corner kick should score as well. It would make it a different game, but there was a lot of good play with 10 players. They were hanging on with 11, and with 10 players, we were the better side.
“A number of their players; the way that they really went about things really disappointed me today. I think the majority of people watching the game as a neutral would’ve been disappointed with their reaction as players.
“MK Dons were holding on and they had to react and stop the game. If I’m their manager, I’m not happy. Obviously they’ve got the three points, but if you have to hold off like they did with 11 players; it’s not the way I like to manage.”
With another game at the Theatre of Greens just three days on from this loss, Adams and his side will be eager to quickly end an unwanted streak of defeats. The opinion of the boss, after seeing his team’s effort in matches and on the training field, is that results are bound to turn in their favour – once their luck does the same.
“We’ve shown we can compete at this level,” said Adams. “We made MK Dons look like an ordinary side with ten players this afternoon, so that’s got to be something we can take a lot of heart from.
“We’re not getting a break at this moment in time. We’ve had a number of situations go against us. We haven’t taken the chances when they’ve come along. We’ve had two players sent off in home games. We’re just not getting the breaks at this moment in time.
“I work with them [the squad] day in, day out, and I know the attitude and application of them is fantastic. They kept on going. We just need to get that break when it comes along.”