Cook has spring in his step after win
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Sligo Rovers boss Paul Cook told Extratime that he was delighted to see his team snatch a late winner in their 3-2 triumph over Bray Wanderers.
After an own goal from Richard Brush put The Seagulls ahead, goals from Conor O'Grady and Padraig Amond swung things back in favour of Sligo before Jake Kelly converted a late penalty. That appeared to be enough to award a point each to the teams, but Dean Marshall scored in injury time to seal the win for Sligo.
"To be fair, I don't think anyone would begrudge the fact that we should have won the game comfortably. I genuinely thought we played decently tonight. We played really well," Cook told Extratime.
"The game should have been long over, but it's hard to get involved in decisions like that [the penalty for Bray's second goal]. You'd love to give the officials the benefit of the doubt, but there's not one appeal, there's not one person in the ground who thinks it's a penalty except the linesman."
Aside from the three points, Cook was also pleased at how well his side played and insists that he takes as much pleasure from that as he does from winning the game itself.
Cook drew many positives from his team's overall performance and wrapping up a win that comes just four days before the Setanta Sports Cup showdown with St Patrick's Athletic.
"I'm delighted, it's great character from them, but again what you have to careful with as a manager is that it's always performance over results, and I said to the lads at half-time that they were terrific in the first half," he said.
"I really thought we were terrific. I thought we created chances, we passed the ball well. I was genuinely pleased.
"So, in gaining the result you might say 'if you win you'll be happy', but we'll take the three points. We won't beat ourselves up if we get beaten and we won't get carried away if we win."
The ongoing saga surrounding Joseph Ndo's stalled registration continues to rumble on, but Cook is confident that he has a very capable striker already in the form of Matthew Blinkhorn.
While the 25-year-old has yet to score this season for Sligo, he certainly had a big impact for the County Connacht side at the Carlisle Grounds.
"To be fair to [Matthew] Blinkhorn, if the lad could ever score goals, I don't think he'd be playing here would he? Because he's an absolutely awesome striker, he's a terrific kid," stated the Bit O'Red manager.
"Again he's another lad that, if we get Joseph [Ndo] over the line, then we'll have more of a threat in those areas. That's certainly pleasing, and I'm pleased we won tonight."
After an own goal from Richard Brush put The Seagulls ahead, goals from Conor O'Grady and Padraig Amond swung things back in favour of Sligo before Jake Kelly converted a late penalty. That appeared to be enough to award a point each to the teams, but Dean Marshall scored in injury time to seal the win for Sligo.
"To be fair, I don't think anyone would begrudge the fact that we should have won the game comfortably. I genuinely thought we played decently tonight. We played really well," Cook told Extratime.
"The game should have been long over, but it's hard to get involved in decisions like that [the penalty for Bray's second goal]. You'd love to give the officials the benefit of the doubt, but there's not one appeal, there's not one person in the ground who thinks it's a penalty except the linesman."
Aside from the three points, Cook was also pleased at how well his side played and insists that he takes as much pleasure from that as he does from winning the game itself.
Cook drew many positives from his team's overall performance and wrapping up a win that comes just four days before the Setanta Sports Cup showdown with St Patrick's Athletic.
"I'm delighted, it's great character from them, but again what you have to careful with as a manager is that it's always performance over results, and I said to the lads at half-time that they were terrific in the first half," he said.
"I really thought we were terrific. I thought we created chances, we passed the ball well. I was genuinely pleased.
"So, in gaining the result you might say 'if you win you'll be happy', but we'll take the three points. We won't beat ourselves up if we get beaten and we won't get carried away if we win."
The ongoing saga surrounding Joseph Ndo's stalled registration continues to rumble on, but Cook is confident that he has a very capable striker already in the form of Matthew Blinkhorn.
While the 25-year-old has yet to score this season for Sligo, he certainly had a big impact for the County Connacht side at the Carlisle Grounds.
"To be fair to [Matthew] Blinkhorn, if the lad could ever score goals, I don't think he'd be playing here would he? Because he's an absolutely awesome striker, he's a terrific kid," stated the Bit O'Red manager.
"Again he's another lad that, if we get Joseph [Ndo] over the line, then we'll have more of a threat in those areas. That's certainly pleasing, and I'm pleased we won tonight."
About Daire Walsh
Daire Walsh began reporting for Extratime in 2009, when he covered Kildare County's games in the League Of Ireland First Division. He currently reports on games involving the league's Dublin sides and also Bray Wanderers. … View Full Profile