Assistant manager Larry Chambers has called for a sense of perspective after AFC Telford United were booed at the end of their goalless draw with Alfreton.
The Bucks were unable to break down a resolute away side in yesterday’s Bank Holiday clash at the New Bucks Head, but the result still extends their unbeaten start to five games.
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Leading goalscorer Terry Fearns spurned the best opportunity, missing the target with an eighth-minute penalty, but highlights were otherwise sparse in a dour clash.
Chambers believes some credit must go to the organisation of the opposition, who are one of the sides expected to be in the promotion mix in Blue Square North.
“People need to put it in perspective,” he said. “Alfreton spent a lot of money in the summer.
“They’ve bought a lot of good players with a lot of League games behind them.
“They’ve come to our place and paid us the biggest respect they can by going one up front and putting five across the midfield.
“Their keeper made two or three great saves - one particularly from Jon Adams - and maybe it just wasn’t our day,” he added.
Telford were booed off the pitch at half-time and at the sounding of the final whistle, while there were also ironic cheers when under-performing midfielder Liam Blakeman was substituted midway through the second period.
That disappointed manager Rob Smith and his No 2, but they stopped short of criticising their supporters, with Chambers adding: “The fans pay their money and they’re entitled to say what they like so I’m never going to have a go at them.
“But they’ve got to be aware of the fact that teams aren’t going to come here and lay down and die.
“Nicky Laws (the Alfreton boss) has managed in the Football League. He’s come up with a gameplan and it’s worked, but I think they’ve had a bit of fortune.
“If we’d have tucked away the penalty it would have been a different story.”
By Chris Hudson
2 Comments
Quite right. It was a frustrating afternoon with the missed penalty and the stifling Alfreton tactics. But they came and defended brilliantly snuffing out everything Telford tried to throw at them. I thought our own tactics lacked a bit of variety at times too. So yes in balance, proabably two points lost.
However, it was wholly undeserving of some of the boos and jeers from the Hutch end especially. Not sure what they were expecting. We will see teams come to the Bucks Head with organised ranks of defenders. We are not going to win every home match by 2 or 3 clear goals this season. The boos are simply not going to help the cause. It was 0-0 not 0-5.
We are still booing these so called fans need to grow up its a football game with 2 teams you can not win them all so they had a bad day we all do but we did not loose come on get behind them they can not win if you have people booing them how would you feel ?