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Interviews

Cox post-Stevenage (A)

2 January 2021

Interviews

Cox post-Stevenage (A)

2 January 2021

First team manager Neil Cox provided his post-match reaction to iFollow Iron after his side's away League Two game at Stevenage ended in a 3-1 loss.

Devarn Green opened the scoring in the fifth minute with his first goal for the club, but Stevenage soon turned the score on it's head through a brace from Charlie Carter. Aramide Oteh then added a killer third goal in second half added time.

Cox told iFollow Iron: "I am really disappointed (with the result) after taking the lead. We did our homework on what we had to do and how they would play, and how they'd pass it to their two widemen coming into the pockets of space.

"In the first-half we let two really poor goals in from a defensive point of view.

"We were the better side in the second half and chased the game, and had two or three really good chances with one off the line. Lofty (Ryan Loft) had a great chance.

"We were then punished yet again by poor defending.

"In the first 10 minutes I thought we were okay, and then they just started getting on top of us, and we sat off them with the centre-halves a little bit deep.

"We changed it a little bit at half-time, and Lofty got a bit more aggressive to play up against their right-sided centre-half. We put loads of balls in their area and had a couple of great opportunities.

"We shot ourselves in the foot with the third poor goal though. That's been our story really, when we have our experienced players we're a good side. When we lack experience, we get away with it once or twice but ultimately not enough."

Alfie Beestin come off early in the second-half and Cox said: "Alfie's played a lot of games and he took a whack in the first-half so I had to be careful. I just wanted to make a positive change and bring a more attacking player on. He was sat deep in that formation and it was just to change it around really."

There was one change to the side as Abo Eisa came in for Myles Hippolyte, who missed out with an ankle injury sustained in the midweek win over Walsall, and Cox commented: "He's got a really bruised swollen ankle but we're hopeful of getting him on the grass by the end of the week, so we'll just have to be wait and see."

Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) and Jordan Hallam (thigh) went for scans on Thursday and Cox revealed the length of time both face out of action.

He said: "Jarvo is going to be out for 10-11 weeks we think, as it's a bad one, while Jordy isn't too bad. Hopefully we can get him on the grass next week, but he's two or three weeks behind."

See much more from Neil Cox and Jake Taylor on iFollow Iron.


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