Foster pleased with point
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Dundalk manager Ian Foster was pleased with the “good character” that he felt his side showed as they snatched a last-gasp point from his former club Galway United at Terryland Park on Sunday evening.
Foster came into the game on the back of four straight defeats and the club were staring a fifth straight loss for the first time in over seven years in the face until Neale Fenn popped up to head in a precious 95th-minute leveller. And afterwards, the Liverpool-born boss said that he was “delighted” that his side got a result which they “needed”.
“I wouldn’t say we were lucky, I thought we deserved it on the second-half performance,” Foster told dundalkfc.com. “We kept pressing, we kept playing in their half and I thought we created great goalscoring chances.
"Barry Ryan showed what a great ‘keeper he is, he kept us out, but we kept going and kept going and we got the goal. We lost four out of the last five games in the league before tonight, against Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, St. Pat’s and Sporting Fingal, so let’s face it, that’s exactly where we are in the league.
"We’re trying to compete with all these teams and it’s difficult, particularly when you’re playing a lot of football. We have been conceding sloppy goals, we conceded another one tonight, but we showed good character in the second half. We needed a result and I’m delighted we got one," he insisted.
“I thought it was a game of two halves,” he added. “I thought we stood off them in the first half and let (Thomas) Heary and (Stephen) O’Donnell at it and turn us. And when we dealt with those two in the second half I thought we were a lot better – we played higher up the pitch and squeezed them into their half and they found it difficult to get out at times. We created some decent chances. The save from Lennon’s volley by Barry Ryan was exceptional and he had a couple of others too, one from Wayne Hatswell’s header and other set-pieces as well.
"I’m delighted with the second-half performance. I’m disappointed with the first-half performance, but we showed plenty of character, bearing in mind the run that we have been on recently. It has been a tough schedule, in fairness, but that’s the way it is and we’ve got to get on with it. We’ve got a couple of injuries and suspensions as well so obviously that doesn’t help. It’s always tough coming to Terryland Park. I’m delighted to get a point.”
Foster came into the game on the back of four straight defeats and the club were staring a fifth straight loss for the first time in over seven years in the face until Neale Fenn popped up to head in a precious 95th-minute leveller. And afterwards, the Liverpool-born boss said that he was “delighted” that his side got a result which they “needed”.
“I wouldn’t say we were lucky, I thought we deserved it on the second-half performance,” Foster told dundalkfc.com. “We kept pressing, we kept playing in their half and I thought we created great goalscoring chances.
"Barry Ryan showed what a great ‘keeper he is, he kept us out, but we kept going and kept going and we got the goal. We lost four out of the last five games in the league before tonight, against Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, St. Pat’s and Sporting Fingal, so let’s face it, that’s exactly where we are in the league.
"We’re trying to compete with all these teams and it’s difficult, particularly when you’re playing a lot of football. We have been conceding sloppy goals, we conceded another one tonight, but we showed good character in the second half. We needed a result and I’m delighted we got one," he insisted.
“I thought it was a game of two halves,” he added. “I thought we stood off them in the first half and let (Thomas) Heary and (Stephen) O’Donnell at it and turn us. And when we dealt with those two in the second half I thought we were a lot better – we played higher up the pitch and squeezed them into their half and they found it difficult to get out at times. We created some decent chances. The save from Lennon’s volley by Barry Ryan was exceptional and he had a couple of others too, one from Wayne Hatswell’s header and other set-pieces as well.
"I’m delighted with the second-half performance. I’m disappointed with the first-half performance, but we showed plenty of character, bearing in mind the run that we have been on recently. It has been a tough schedule, in fairness, but that’s the way it is and we’ve got to get on with it. We’ve got a couple of injuries and suspensions as well so obviously that doesn’t help. It’s always tough coming to Terryland Park. I’m delighted to get a point.”
