Reaction from the Wimbledon manager
Neal Ardley took consolation from Wimbledon’s overall performance after his side were denied by a resolute Bristol Rovers this afternoon.
Neal said that his players did everything he asked of them in the 0-0 home draw, apart from scoring a decisive goal that their display perhaps merited.
Speaking to Dons Player, Neal said: “We had to score a goal to change it, but I thought that we played well. I look at them as a group of players and everything that we worked on during the week they gave me today. We did everything but put the ball in the back of the net. We had 33 crosses in the game and 15 attempts on goal. That’s what we’ve been working towards, particularly at home.
“We work all week on scoring goals and creating chances. I’ve just read out the statistics to the boys and we produced everything that we had worked on. Defensively we were solid and our forwards have played well, but they just could not put the ball in the back of the net.
“Probably our missed opportunity was the first-half. They played 3-5-2 and we caused them a lot of problems. We had 20 crosses in the first-half alone. In the second-half they changed to 4-4-2 because we were on top and it became more of a scrappy game, but I still felt we were the team looking to win it.”
Neal added that the desire of his players to win the game was an aspect that pleased him on the day.
minute to set-up a chance that sums up the fitness levels and spirit,” Neal said. “Will Antwi and Darren Jones were excellent at the back and Barry and Tom Richards galloped up and down the wings. I thought that Kwesi Appiah and Jack Midson had a good understanding in the first-half and they looked likely to make something happen.th“When you have Barry Fuller running the length of the pitch in the 90
"We looked strong and kept driving on. I hope the fans will come away from the game thinking that they could not have asked for much more, apart from us taking the lead and winning the game.”
The full video interview with Neal Ardley is now on our premium site and interviews with Barry Fuller and Charlie Wyke will follow in the next two days.