Graham Alexander's thoughts after the Crawley game
Manager Graham Alexander expressed his disbelief at the Cod Army’s 1-0 defeat to Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium after dominating the majority of the game.Izale McLeod’s breakaway goal with 12 minutes remaining was all that separated the two sides.
Speaking to the Club’s media team after the final whistle Alexander said: “We did more than enough to win that game, comfortably. We should never have got to a point where we could lose by a goal conceded near the end.
“I’d have been very disappointed had we drawn the game, to come off with a defeat is a sore one to take but we have to take it and we have to continue those performances because the performance was excellent.”
There were suspicions of handball as Crawley countered to score the game’s only goal something Alexander believes should have been seen: “There was a handball in the build up by the striker. He’s controlled it by both of his arms and his chest.
“So we are a bit sore at that but if they did get a goal against the run of play like they did it should have been a consolation goal. Hand on heart I can remember seeing Chris Maxwell having to make a safe today.”
Despite defeat the 42-year-old is pleased with who the Club have adapted to life in League One and is relishing a return to Highbury on Wednesday night to face Barnsley:
“If we play like that for the next 39 games in this league then we’ll do ever so well because I was just so pleased with how we played today.
“It’s disappointing because we work all week, we travel down here, the supporters travel down here to show their loyalty and for us to get a positive result and we haven’t. We have to makes sure that we get prepared as well as we can for Wednesday.”
Adding: “It’s a big game for us, as it always is at this level but we’ve got to be pleased at how we have started at this new level.
“I think we should be seeing four more points, we should have got one last week and three this week but these are realities of football. We have to make sure that we are ruthless enough that when we dominate a team we kill them off.”
Speaking about the 101 travelling supporters the manager spoke with pride saying: “it’s brilliant and I applauded them at the end and I see them applauding the players after a 1-0 defeat which is fantastic.
“It is just disappointing that we couldn’t reward them with a win but we will be giving it our best shot on Wednesday against a massive club at League One level to get a positive result.”