Fans are asked to be patient

Roger Graham 1551 - 1551 • Published 15 Sep 2008 12:30

Irons: 'We've stopped conceding and we can build from there'

MORTON manager Davie Irons said that critics of his side"s 4-5-1 formation at Cappielow on Saturday should try to understand why his team are playing that way.

He commented in the aftermath of the goalless draw against Queen of the South: 'People have to just try and look at it objectively.

'We"ve lost goals. We"ve stopped conceding now and we can build from there. In too many games this season we"ve lost a goal early on in the game. It leads to nervousness. You can"t build a performance when you"re losing goals.

'You can see the boys are starting to believe we"re getting harder to beat.'

After an hour Morton did put Kevin Finlayson on, switched Iain Russell up front alongside Brian Wake and Davie Irons said: 'I know Queens lost Stevie Tosh, but even before that I thought when we changed it we started to look a little bit more positive.

'What I said to the players was that we need to be in a game for an hour. Before this last couple of games we"ve been two down, three down against Airdrie at half-time - it"s finished. But now we"re in the game.

'I know we have to work harder in the final third - I don"t mean individuals, but just as a team to try and create more in games.'

One scribe then asked: 'Do you go for it from the start next week, or do you just tell the fans to come in at quarter past four?'

Irons laughed and replied: 'No, we just tell the fans to try and bear with us and appreciate what we"re trying to do.

'We"ve now got two full-backs, Alex Walker and young Chris Smith.'

Smith drew praise from the manager who said: 'He"s only played two first team games in his career and has come in and done really well.

'I thought he had another good game today.

'We"ve now got that basis. Dominic Shimmin is looking an accomplished centre back, Kevin Cuthbert is a good goalkeeper, Ryan Harding is the captain and is leading us.

'We now have a real solid unit at the back. Middle to front I know we have to be better, and we"ll try hard to make it better.

'We"ll build on this. I know the fans will say this is a home game but, as I say, bear with us.'

Queens boss Gordon Chisholm had mixed emotions after the match, but was generally content with a point.

He said: 'To be honest I thought we dominated the first half. We were very unlucky. Dobbie"s had a couple of strikes that, on another day, might have gone in, Tosh has hit the post.

'In the second half I didn"t think we played at the same tempo. When we lost Stevie Tosh at the sending-off, obviously we were under pressure then.'

Chisholm felt the ordering-off was harsh. 'The ball was there to be won, but he"s got to learn. Stevie"s got enough experience that he should know the first booking for talking back is what leads him to the red card.

'He knows himself, but I still thought the second yellow was harsh. Obviously it put us on the back foot and they threw everything at us.'

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 15 Sep 08

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