Hill speaks after narrow loss to league leaders

First team manager Keith Hill spoke to iFollow Iron following the team's narrow 1-0 loss away to league leaders Forest Green Rovers.

The gaffer started by reflecting on the game, saying: “I’m pleased with the players and their determination and grit, and the willingness to challenge the opponents as good as they are. We’re introducing one or two young players (amongst others, first year professional Dan Gallimore made his second league start, while second year trainee Jack Moore-Billam came on as a substitute for his first league appearance) and I thought they were magnificent.

“I’m really pleased with the performance and that’s what I’m looking for. Obviously you want performances to turn into results but I thought it was marginal today against arguably the best side in the league.” 

Following this, Hill spoke about the team’s performance: “To be honest I think we need to show a lot more courage. For example, Harvey Cribb is 16, has an engine to die for, and he was very competitive against an outstanding midfielder player in Ebou Adams. I think Adams is brilliant, he’s mature, he’s probably one of the best midfield players outside of the Championship, and I think he [Cribb] matched him.

“However, now he’s got to show the football world how good he is in possession as well, but he will learn from these games, as will Harry Lewis and as will Dan Gallimore and Jack Moore-Billam. I’m pleased with those players, and I thought we stuck to the task.

“We were decent and we had one or two opportunities, but we have to show better and cleaner footballing decision-making processes in the final third, and a little more composure, but that comes with confidence.”

On the winning goal, Hill said: “I’m frustrated with the free-kick, when you’re top of the league sometimes you get a gift, but we should be defending the ball in. You can’t allow Nicky Cadden to continually get opportunities and I feel like that was a free gift from the referee. It was a shoulder challenge - but we have to deal with the ball in.”

The boss also commented on the performance from the Iron’s back line: “They’re not top of the league after 40 games without being good in goalscoring situations. I thought that our three central defenders today dealt with Jamille Matt really well, and they rolled their luck a little bit but you have to when you come here with the type of players that we’re trying to introduce into the Football League against a top of the league team.” 

Finally, the gaffer finished by saying: “I am really pleased with the characteristics, and the personality that we showed today, and on that type of performance I’m relatively pleased for the players. Ultimately though the players want to win and they’re disappointed that they haven’t got something out of the game today.” 

See much more from Keith Hill and Dan Gallimore on iFollow Iron.