We spoke to Mark Hughes following our victory against Morecambe.
Speaking to CUTV, Mark began:
“It was really important for us today, obviously, to continue where we left off last weekend and that's what we did. I thought we were excellent from start to finish. Thankfully, we got into the lead and then just managed the game out to a conclusion.
“I thought we were good value today and given the significance of the game, I just felt the lads approached it in a great manner, understood what was required to get the job done today and I think it's back-to-back wins for the first time in a couple of years.
“We put on a performance that we needed today, but we weren't going to be denied. We felt all week after the performance and the way we turned things around last weekend, we sensed this week was going to be more of the same and that's what happened.
“Back-to-back wins at any level is huge and given our circumstances, for us to be able to do it is great for us. We've just got to keep on trying to apply pressure and see where it takes us. We've got a huge game now coming up against a good team who are trying to do things themselves and complete their season, so it won't be easy, but I just sense we're in a good place at the moment and everybody's pushing in the right direction.
“The fans were fantastic again today and we saw the game out quite comfortably in my view. It was scrappy at times, but the lads did exactly what they needed to do. The pitch is difficult and we knew that's how they play and they play in the conditions that they have, but I think we just matched that and that's what we talked about.
“We had to match their recycling of the balls and obviously longer balls from deeper positions. I just sensed every time we went into challenges or had to obviously affect the opposition by being aggressive and being determined and resilient to come out with the ball, I think we did it to a man. For me, I view it as an excellent away performance."
Terell Thomas and Aaron Hayden were exceptional at the heart of defence, Mark agreed but also insisted on it being about a team performance:
“Yes, when you win, you don't want to highlight too many of the guys individually, but collectively, I thought we were great. You're right to mention the two centre-halves, I thought they were excellent.
“They stood up to the challenge, Aaron Hayden has been great since he's come back into the team and uses his experience, I thought. Terell, arguably that was one of his best games for quite some time, so I’m pleased for him as well. They didn't look like they were going to get beat today, so that was reassuring for everybody.
“Even if they gave a glimmer of an opportunity to the opposition, we still had Gabe [Breeze] that they had to beat, which was going to be highly unlikely as well. On the back of that, very, very good performance today.”
Georgie Kelly made it three goals in two matches and completed another 90 minutes, which Mark was very pleased with.
“Georgie's doing really well for us at the moment, giving us a real focal point.
“He gets in line with the ball, makes it difficult, at times he's all knees and elbows, but that makes it difficult for defenders to get around him and just nick the ball around his body. He's very effective at what he does, he knows what he's good at and sticks to it.”
Mark also praised Jack Ellis, who set up both goals at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.
“Yeah, Jack was defensively rock solid again. He's getting forward as well. We demand, the way we're playing at the moment, the shape that we go, we demand the full-backs get forward when they can and he does that to good effect as well.
“It's not his natural game, but he's certainly good enough to do it.”
On the upcoming fixtures, Mark said:
“We've got some huge games ahead of us, we know that, but we just sense that, at the moment, we're in the best possible place to go up against teams in this league and we've just got to continue in the same vein. If we do that, then who knows what might happen.
“We can still just affect what we can affect.
“We've just got to keep going and we play [Accrington] Stanley as well, which will be a huge game now. I think the guys, as I said in the dressing room, we're not in that situation where we're hoping to do well or hoping to win. We expect to do well and as a consequence of that, the last two games, we've expected to win.
“So, we've just got to keep that mindset. The fans have shown that they still believe the players have as well, just got to keep going.
“The last two games, we've given them every reason to think that. So, we've just got to keep it going.”
