Paul Carden on recent results, injury updates & squad news

Paul Carden sits down to discuss the results against Radcliffe, Sandbach United and the Warrington squad. 

Hi all, hope you’re well.

The Radcliffe game was one of those games where you think missed chances will come back to bite you on the backside. We showed a lot of good composure at times and dealt with a lot of threat which came in long throws, free kicks and balls being thrown into the box for their forwards and centre halves to get to.

You’ve got to deal with those things in games and I thought we did really well. There’s a few games similar where we’ve suffered late on from missed chances. But the clean sheet was pleasing and obviously to get the three points and back to winning ways was very pleasing.

When you watch Jordan Buckley play, you never really appreciate the true player until you see them up close in training and what their flaws are and what their strengths are. He has a controlled touch, the ability to go past people and he’s got tricks. He’s obviously got that pace and that size and hopefully the goal last week is a big sign of things to come as I certainly believe that he’s destined for really good things in the game.

The Cheshire Senior Cup was always going to be difficult. I think they had about four pitch inspections in the day. You know the pitch is going to be difficult for both teams. Thankfully, there were no injuries on the back of it, which is the main thing.

I wasn’t happy first half. It was a game, without sounding daft, that we should be winning with the side that we had out and with players with their experience. In those type of games, it can make it harder by going away from what you normally do and that’s what we did. We weren’t stretching the game and we were trying to pass short all of the time in our half on a pitch that was sticky and muddy in certain areas. We weren’t playing to how we should cope with the conditions.

In the second half, we came out and we were much better. We were much more like us, much more aggressive in our play and got the goals that we deserved. They had a couple of good chances which were saved well by Marcus Burgess.

Will Harris got a goal and a couple of good moves which will do him no harm. It was pleasing to get a good win and for a couple of lads to get good game time which was needed, so it was a good game all around.

In the league, I think the way the season has been is the same for a lot of clubs. You can look at South Shields at the top who have stretched it a little bit, but they haven’t had it plain sailing. In and around when we played them, they weren’t having a great run themselves and they lost a couple and had some unexpected results. Any time they drop points, it’s unexpected.

I’m just pleased that we’re getting the squad back. We have been stretched and people have been opinionated over letting people go and when we’re letting them go, but you’ve got to be looking past what’s in front of you in terms of knowing what players are coming back. I think we let a few players go and we believe that the squad now is getting back to full strength. That’s what the plan always was, to be in and around the play-offs and we are right now. I feel we are in a good position in the strength in the squad and ready to keep moving if we can.

Josh Amis is going well. He’s working hard on his fitness and he’s been doing a lot of running which is good. He’s had very little reaction, which we were expecting a little of, but no, so he’s not too far off. Jordan Buckley felt his hamstring last week but should be okay, and everybody else came through Tuesday and I’m expecting a full turnout tonight at training.

We signed Scott Brown on an initial 28-day loan, and I think Saturday is his last of the initial 28. I spoke to Harrogate last week and they’re happy to extend his loan. Scott is enjoying playing and we’re enjoying having him. He’s been quality for us and we’ll get better the more games he plays and the more the team work with him. He’s a great lad, and gets on with the team. He’s enjoying his football and when you’ve got a good player who’s enjoying his football, you get an even better player.

See you at Stafford,

Paul.