Gavin Cowan praises battling Telford
Manager Gavin Cowan praised AFC Telford United’s battling qualities in their hard-fought 1-0 win at Southport, although he also felt they were potentially their own worst enemy.
“I was really pleased with our endeavour, our hard work and desire. I thought we matched Southport in that area, but we were causing ourselves our own problems,” said Cowan.
Cowan’s side took a back seat in the first half as Southport, managed by former Bucks manager Liam Watson, made most of the running.
But Cowan’s address to his team at the interval meant the tide was turned against the Sangrounders.
“At half-time the conversation was to enjoy having the ball, get our detail right and make sure we were reliable and efficient in possession. Once we did that, and allied it to that hard work, I felt we just edged it in the second half,” he added.
The winner came from a disputed 56th-minute Andre Brown penalty, awarded for a foul on the same player by Ryan Astles that left Watson seething.
“Disappointed with the referee’s decision, it’s a joke,” he said. “He knows he’s got it wrong, he virtually said that walking off the pitch.”
Cowan, has some sympathy for that view, but felt his side justified getting a decision in their favour.
“Being a defender, I always think it’s harsh, as any sort of touch behind them (a forward), then they’re going to go down. I might have been fuming had it been given against us.”
