Alan Mathews reflects on home loss

Following on from their fourth 1-0 loss of the campaign, Drogheda United boss Alan Mathews couldn't fault his team's effort or application but is hoping they can soon eradicate the worrying trend of conceding soft goals such as Declan Edwards' winner on Friday night.

"Not alone did we get beaten tonight, but Galway stole the three points and they’ll probably be delighted going away with a win. I’d say they’d have accepted a draw. We dominated the game I think from start to finish, but when you’re down, you’re down.

"We went into the game with two players out who were picked and selected to play. They got injured in the warm-up so we played tonight with no recognised striker. But I thought we played really well, took the game to them and played with a really good tempo. Their ‘keeper was called upon to make some saves. They had one break and a good effort where Faherty got a shot onto the crossbar, but Steve Williams could have stayed at home this evening. He wasn’t called on to make any saves.

"I’m bitterly disappointed that we didn’t at least take a point out of the game, notwithstanding the fact that we dominated it. They’ve gone away with three points and good luck to them," Mathews said. Of the chances they did create, Drogheda sub Mark Salmon will quickly want to forget his miss that would have drawn the sides level minutes after Edwards' header. Mathews refused to single out the young midfielder's miss.

"It seemed to go behind him. Again it was some good play, we got the ball down the side and got a ball in, but we’d opportunities all night. We had half opportunities that maybe someone who’s more accustomed to being in that position might have maybe hit the back of the net. But I can’t fault the players for the way they played. I thought we played really well. We didn’t give them an awful lot of space in areas where they’re dangerous.

"They had three men in the middle but I thought we dominated possession in there. We fed our two makeshift front men very well. Paul Crowley and Jamie Duffy got plenty of possession and they worked very hard. I can’t find fault with the team but it’s just something that we’ve got to get out of our game that we’re not scoring goals. We’ve got to make sure that we start getting some clean sheets and stop giving away soft goals. If you don’t do that you’re not going to win many football games."

Mathews commended the players' attitude and commitment but is aware that a distinct change in fortune is needed for the club to get out of its current position. When asked whether the current standard of performances would be good enough to get some wins once the missing players came back into the side, Mathews said: "If we keep going in this vein, no. We need to address that. It’s not a winning vein.

"For sure, there was a lot of players sitting in the stands that would have been playing. But that’s football. You have injuries, you have suspensions. Unfortunately we’re being dealt a very, very tough dose at this stage because we’ve a minimal squad and we can’t afford to lose our key players. It happens to clubs throughout the season and it’s happening to us now. We’re being punished for it. Hopefully it’ll sort itself out. I can’t fault the attitude and effort of the players. They’ve given everything and they’re bitterly disappointed in the dressing room. They’re putting everything in but we’re falling short in key areas of the pitch. If you do that, you’ll be punished."

A ripple of applause greeted the Dubliner as he made his way to the dug-out before the game, perhaps an appreciation of the difficult job that the home fans are aware he now finds himself in. Mathews acknowledged the fans but knows that points are far more important than appreciation.

"Plaudits are great but I’m here to win matches to be honest with you. I think people recognise the fact that we’re playing the game the way that it should, with the right spirit and the right commitment. We’re going about our work as positively as we can. We’re trying to play football. The players are giving everything and I think as a manager you look at the people that are playing for you and ask “Are they giving every effort that they have?” and they did.

"We’d two guys who went out in the warm-up and didn’t play, so two guys were quickly asked to go out and fill in. I thought Dave O’Connor and Mark Duggan did really well. Slaps on the back, they don’t really work in the sense that they don’t give you three points. I’d swap people giving me a bit of stick if we were to get some wins under our belts to be honest with you, because ultimately that’s what we’re going to need."

Mathews appreciates his players are giving their all and is hopeful that the work ethic he has instilled will bear dividend before long.

"Work ethic is something that we would have spoken about and certainly you would expect it from the players that they would give everything they had. They’re great lads and they are good fellas, but they’ve got to start turning that into results now. It’s a long road, it’s a long season, but we need to start converting that work rate and application into some results. I won’t become dispirited and the players won’t be. But it’s very, very hard to keep playing at that intensity and putting everything in when results aren’t going your way.

"If you keep doing it, ultimately results will go our way and that’s what we’ve got to believe in. If we keep doing the right things it’ll change. We play everybody four times. Galway have had a great start, they’re very comfortable. At this moment in time, we’re on the floor a little bit. We’ll keep digging in and we’ll keep giving everything we have and we’ll turn it because the players that we have won’t accept the position that we’re in for too long."

When it was put to Mathews that his side now find themselves in a similar position to that which Galway United were in 12 months ago, he was quick to focus on his own task rather than draw inspiration from others. He was also hopeful that he wouldn't befall the same fate as Galway's manager from the start of last season, Tony Cousins, who was present in United Park on Friday night.

"I’d look at ourselves, as opposed to others. I’d look at what we need to do. I thought Galway went on a great run towards the end of last season; I wouldn’t want to leave it to that. Fair credit to Jeff Kenna and the crew that were there last year, and they’ve picked up and they’ve maintained that momentum. They’ve had a good pre-season, whereas you must remember we are not in the same position as everybody else.

"This team was put together two or three weeks before the start of the season. So we’re behind the 8-ball in many respects. For the first series of games, to be perfectly honest with you, what we were looking for was to make sure that we were in touch with those clubs that were around us; be it in the middle of the table, top of the table or bottom of the table. We need to make sure that we’re in that position when the window comes because we need reinforcements and if we can do that, well then we’ll give ourselves a chance. But yeah, you look at Galway last year and they were on the floor at one stage and they rallied and they stuck together. They also sacked their manager after four games."