INTERVIEW: They're a great group

Lee Dykes on the Oldham reserve game

Joint Assistant Manager Lee Dykes gave us his reaction to the away reserve draw at Oldham on Tuesday afternoon.

“Results aren't number one on the priority list in these games but they do matter,” he said. “The manager is trying to breed a winning mentality at the club and if we can't win we make sure we don't lose.

“The lads had a bad start to the game, for whatever reason, and they admitted that, but for the remaining 80 minutes we were by far the better team.

“When you go a couple of goals down so early it takes character to get back in the game. We sorted ourselves out and I can't remember them stringing two or three passes together in the second half, so it was excellent.”
 
“It was important for Shaun Miller and Joe McKee to get on the score sheet,” he added. “We were expecting a third and possibly a fourth goal towards the end. If you compare today with the Queen of the South fixture I thought the performance levels were much higher.

“We had some good experienced professionals in Mark Ellis, Shaun Brisley and Russell Penn who brought their knowledge into the game. We had a young goalkeeper, which made it difficult at times, but it was good for him.”

On getting such a high level of tempo, he said: “They're a great group. I've still got a sore throat but I don't have to say anything, because they understand.

“They're their own biggest critics. It was a pleasing performance and we can take a lot out of it.”

And the game was an opportunity for a familiar face to get 90 minutes, alongside a seciond trialist.

“The football club, the manager and Derek [Asamoah] are having conversations,” Dykes revealed. “We all know what he can do and it was tough for us to let him go in the summer.

“We had to leave ourselves open for what could possibly become available in the transfer window at that point. Derek can hurt the best of teams and he's more than good enough for this level, but it has to be right for everybody.

“We had another trialist with us and he was excellent. It was his first game in seven months ... but we won't be naming him at this stage.”