Defender Michael Raynes on the Newport game
Defender Michael Raynes spoke to us shortly after full time on Saturday following the 0-1 defeat to Newport County."As high as Wednesday night was today is a low point for us," he admitted. "We did well on Wednesday but we've taken a kick to the teeth today. I don't think we should have lost that game but football can be a cruel mistress at times. Sometimes you've just got to take one on the chin and move on to Tuesday.
"We don't accept it just because of Wednesday night. It was 11v11 out there and people who were at the game will know we should have won this. We had enough chances but they had two chances and scored one. We didn't get too high on Wednesday and we won't get too low today and, as I say, we need to move on to Tuesday."
"We started off well but at times in football you don't get what you deserve," he commented. "We can't sit and cry about it because we've still got a lot of points to play for. This week, as a group, I think we've found out more about each other's character than we would have done all the way through the season. It's time to stand up and be counted now.
"I thought we were going to nick a draw at the end because of the way we've been playing over the last couple of weeks. If we'd got that last minute equaliser the mood would have been totally different."
On the early deaprture of Jabo Ibehre, he said: "People probably won't realise what Jabo [Ibehre] brings to the group. Not just on the pitch, but off it, because he's an amazing man. He's a leader and a good voice to have around the place.
"He gets people going so it's always going to be a big blow to lose him. However, it's an opportunity for other people to step up and try to fill his boots.
"We all know our jobs and what we need to do so it didn't matter that the gaffer made seven changes. We've been together long enough now to know what's demanded from each other. It didn't click today and we're all disappointed. We win and lose together, so we have to put it right."
On being handed the captain's armband, he said: "It's an absolute honour. Danny [Grainger] is one of the best captains I've ever worked for so I'd never want to take it from him. To stand in for him today was an absolute honour.
"We've got a lot of leaders in there anyway so everyone has their say after games, whoever wears the armband. Today is a bit of a sour one because we've conceded a goal. We felt comfortable as a back four and I think Mark [Gillespie] only had one save to make.
"We all know our jobs and what we need to do so it didn't matter that the gaffer made seven changes. We've been together long enough now to know what's demanded from each other. It didn't click today and we're all disappointed. We win and lose together, so we have to put it right."
On being handed the captain's armband, he said: "It's an absolute honour. Danny [Grainger] is one of the best captains I've ever worked for so I'd never want to take it from him. To stand in for him today was an absolute honour.
"We've got a lot of leaders in there anyway so everyone has their say after games, whoever wears the armband. Today is a bit of a sour one because we've conceded a goal. We felt comfortable as a back four and I think Mark [Gillespie] only had one save to make.
"We're aiming to keep clean sheets and score a lot of goals every week and we will get there. The goal we conceded in this game wasn't a good goal to concede.
"The cross came in too easily, their lad flicked it on and it just smashed me in the face and went in. We're trying desperately to eradicate goals like that and we're working every day as a defensive unit.
"We showed on Wednesday how well we could defend so it's difficult to put your finger on why it happens. We're trying so hard to keep clean sheets because we know we'll have days like today where the forward lads won't score the goals to bail us out."
"Leyton Orient away won't be easy," he told us. "We're good at picking ourselves up. There's never any moaning so we'll review the game and see where we can improve.
"Leyton Orient away won't be easy," he told us. "We're good at picking ourselves up. There's never any moaning so we'll review the game and see where we can improve.
"Orient is a difficult place to go but if anyone can go there and get a result it's us. Everyone has the chance to beat everyone in League Two, it's 11v11, so we'll be able to see how good we are.
"We've got good players in this team so it's a chance for us to step up. That's what we get paid to do and no one should have any fears. We've got a good bunch of players who are positive and trying to do everything the right way."
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