Still rues defensive errors as Town are beaten

Hatters boss John Still felt his side were punished for defensive errors as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at FC Halifax Town yesterday, writes Mike Simmonds.
Andre Gray goes down in the box under the challenge of Simon AingeAndre Gray goes down in the box under the challenge of Simon Ainge
Andre Gray goes down in the box under the challenge of Simon Ainge

Marc Roberts’ free header put the hosts in front during the first half, before Steve McNulty’s mistake allowed the division’s new leading top scorer Lee Gregory to bag his 27th goal of the season.

Still said: “We haven’t played well. I thought they had the edge without a doubt.

“We’ve played against a team with a fantastic home record that’s played very well on the day.

“If I had a disappointment, it’s the goals. It was a free header with Fraser’s header. We worked them quite a bit on that, so I was disappointed with that.

“The second goal, Macca’s (Steve McNulty) probably made one mistake all season and they’ve scored from it.

“I’m always pretty philosophical about performances, some days you go out, you don’t play well, you get beat, that’s life.

“You all have not such good days, but that’s our first defeat away since Wrexham (on September 13), so I’m disappointed to lose, but only disappointed.”

The boss also felt that his two strikers Andre Gray and Paul Benson had rare off days as he continued: “We forced it a little bit more second half, but around the box when we had reasonable opportunities to get back in the game, I thought Andre was off and Paul didn’t play as well as he’s been playing.

“Andre had two or three times where we would have hoped he might have done better, but he’s had a great season, so I can’t moan.”

Gray might have had a penalty when he went down in the area under a challenge from former housemate and ex-Hatter Simon Ainge in the second period, a decision Still felt went against them.

He adedd: “I wasn’t sure about the first challenge, but the second challenge from where I was, looked nailed on to me.

“I haven’t seen it again, but the linesman when he ran back said he wasn’t sure if it was or it wasn’t.

“The man that matters didn’t give it so there’s nothing we coudl do about it, we control the controllables, we can’t do anything about it.”

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