Conor McLaughlin is pleased with the way Fleetwood Town showed grit and determination to get a point away at Rochdale.
By Tom BestwickConor McLaughlin is pleased with the way Fleetwood Town showed grit and determination to get a point away at Rochdale.
Town were reduced to ten men after Alex Marrow was given a red card in the second half, but Fleetwood weathered long periods of Rochdale pressure to extend their unbeaten away record to seven games.
McLaughlin said: “It was very tough, probably not the football we like to play, but sometimes you have to do it that and get through it, and when we were down to ten men the lads dug in and got a very good point in the end.
“It was backs to the walls job really, we didn’t really get out of our own half much, credit has to go to the lads as we didn’t concede and whenever we did get forward we did look a threat.
“There was a lot of aerial balls coming in, we had to cover our centre halves a lot, we ended up getting the clean sheet, which was the main thing, and I think we will take a point.”
McLaughlin has been the latest player to praise Fleetwood number one Scott Davies who produced an outstanding penalty save to deny Ashley Grimes early in the second half.
“They had a couple of good chances; Scotty made an unbelievable save from the penalty. He's been brilliant all year, and we have every confidence in him and he stepped up to the plate.”
The 21 year old, Northern Ireland international has been an ever present since Shaun Beeley was struck down by a thigh injury, and McLaughlin insists he is going to do all he can to cement his place in the first team.
“I’m enjoying playing regularly again. It was unfortunate for Beel’s (Shaun Beeley). I have just got to take my chance and I hope I can stay in the team when he comes back.
“I had 70 or 80 minutes a couple of weeks before that against Cheltenham and that helped get back in to the swing of things, hopefully now I can get my sharpness back and even step up in my performances.”
McLaughlin was one of a number of signings made by the club in the summer, and he says he has loved every minute of his time at the club since making the move from Preston North End.
“I have loved every minute of it since I came. All the lads have been brilliant, welcomed me and it has been an easy transition really. I’m enjoying every minute.”
