The Two Paul's Columns from the Barrow v Kidderminster Harriers Programme

[Ralph]

THE MANAGER’S VIEW
By Paul Cox, from the Barrow v Kidderminster Harriers programme

The Buildbase FA Trophy gives us the chance to get our game back on track after losing rather disappointingly last Saturday, but I warn you it will not be easy to get through to the last eight of the competition. Today‘s opponents Kidderminster Harriers are having a great season and full credit to them for their determination to bounce back after being relegated from our Division last season.

I will be very happy to get people back off the treatment bench so we have a few more players to choose from, giving me the option that the Lincolns and Forest Greens of our Division always have.

Did we deserve to lose to Forest Green? We did because we conceded three sloppy goals from three set-pieces. If you take two of the better players out of any side in this League they will feel the pinch, so I am not moaning about it. We had 16 players, they worked extremely hard but we switched off at restarts and when you do that, you will get punished at this level of football.

A lot has been said about the nine bookings in the match and sadly I really feel maybe the game was too big for the referee. Experienced players manipulated him. In the greater scheme of things that needs to be looked at. I like to give every referee the benefit of the doubt because without them we haven’t got a game. However some of the decisions were strange to say the least. It showed by the reaction of both benches and by the reaction of the whole crowd, home and away. But the referee wasn’t at fault for their three goals. It was just bad defending. That is not normally in our DNA. Defending is usually one of our strengths.

It shows just how far we have come when someone like Forest Green, with their great resources and who have their sights set on League One if not the Championship, reacted as if they had won the FA Cup when they beat us.

We looked at energy levels from the Tuesday night win over Lincoln City; we also looked at just a little tweak in the formation. In the end, we scored two goals and that is usually enough to win any football match. Now we have got to seriously look at our squad. We have talked about it over the last five or six weeks and now things need to happen. We have talked to a lot of players, but it is all about having the right ones for the right money and to do the right jobs for us. It was a killer to lose last Saturday when we got back into the game. Now we have got to put that behind us and make Trophy progress.

THOUGHTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN
By Paul Cox, from the Barrow v Kidderminster Harriers programme

It's that time of the year when injuries can bite and once again we have not escaped. Both Byron Harrison and Jordan Williams were amongst the wounded and missed the Forest Green game.

There were some unpleasant scenes at the end of that game and I haven't yet seen a final report on the numerous incidents, so can't comment at this point. I would, however, ask our supporters to try to restrain their emotions, as often these incidents can cast the club in a bad light in the harsh glare of the spotlight. It is true that it was an emotional game and there were aspects of the game that were not well managed by others beyond our control, but that happens and in a long season, we can only hope that the perceived injustices even out.

It wasn't a great January for us. Obviously there have been a lot of behind-the-scenes discussions about what has transpired, and the collective wisdom seems to come down on the side, not a million miles away, but not quite ready. We enjoyed a settled side for a long period of time which was suddenly disrupted by a key couple of omissions.

Joel Dixon was the subject of great debate earlier in the season and I think we miss him. We have been fortunate to find excellent, but temporary, replacements, but Joel’s record in 2016 was incredible. We are, obviously, closely monitoring his progress and it is my hope that he is at this football club for many years to come.

Our task therefore is to work hard to close that gap and remove the words “not quite” from before the word “ready”. We know we need some additional elements but our feeling is if we cannot find those that fit and that are significantly better than what we have, then what's the point? Our bottom line is always that they want to be here. Any doubt on that score and we walk away, sometimes reluctantly.

Today however, it's Trophy Day, and a challenging game with Kidderminster, who have promotion thoughts of their own to weigh up. February has arrived and so, hopefully, we can begin to put January behind us.