Manager Dave Challinor has called on his squad to ensure the 5-0 win against MK Dons can be a ‘catalyst’ for a good run of games ahead of Friday’s match against Forest Green Rovers.
In his latest pre-match interview, the manager said that his side needs to ensure that last Saturday’s victory is looked back on as a definitive moment in the season, as we approach the run-in. He also praised his squad for dealing with a high-stakes game on television and producing an emphatic win.
“If you lose your next two games it isn’t a statement win. I’m a believer that if you look back at the end of the season and you then maybe say there are moments or pivotal games that started a run, or swung the balance in a particular way. Our job now is that we look back at the end of the season and say that was a catalyst for us going on and winning a number of games that ultimately got us promoted.
“You’re obviously going to take positives from going into a game that was a little bit different, because of the potential outcomes and consequences of those outcomes and producing the performance that we did in front of the TV cameras against a rival close to us and winning the game by the margin that we did.”
The gaffer also suggested that Kyle Knoyle and Antoni Sarcevic could potentially return for Friday’s fixture but is unsure in what capacity. Along with confirming the return of Louie Barry, however, he admits it could be a couple of weeks before he is back involved.
Forest Green come into the game off the back of two defeats and having lost 2-0 at Edgeley Park back in October, although Dave still expects a tough challenge.
“We’ve got one home game sandwiched in-between playing the bottom three teams away. That in itself brings challenges.
“We’re playing from our perspective with a really big objective in front of us, but these three teams are scrapping for their lives and playing for an objective that’s been forced upon them because of how they’ve done over the course of the season – there’s just as much pressure, if not more pressure, on them than there is us because their football league status hangs in the balance, and we’ll expect a really tough game.”
You can watch the managers full pre-match interview here, including more on the MK Dons victory, the importance of senior players and more ahead of the Easter double header.
