‘That’s the important thing’ – Lower Breck manager Gary Moore highlights manner of win in difficult circumstances

Lower Breck management celebrate

Lower Breck manager Gary Moore admitted the first goal was crucial in their 2-0 win over AFC Liverpool.

Connor Rankin and Connor McCarthy both fired the Breck to three points in a game that was dictated by the adverse fog conditions at Anfield Sports.

The visibility worsened shortly after the restart for the second-half prompting the referee to suspend play.

After the resumption, it was the hosts who got their noses in front through Rankin, as his effort deflected and looped in off of the post.

Rankin was in the thick of it for the second as he won possession in the visitors’ final third before providing for McCarthy who slotted into the bottom corner.

Speaking after the win, Moore told Off The Park: “Back-to-back wins as well and clean sheet against a team bang in form, they’re flying high.

“They’re doing very well, they class it as derby day but every game you just want to win and the lads performed. Patchy game obviously in the mist but we got that all important first goal of the match.”

As was the case against the likes of Bury AFC, who they overcame 2-0 at home, and away to West Didsbury and Chorlton, Lower Breck had to dig in and fight for the three points.


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“We’re saying that everytime we play one of these teams, we played West Didsbury, they were flying, you say it every week against those teams who are challenging,” he said.

“First-half, I thought we edged it, I thought we looked alright, they had the moment they hit the bar but I thought we did good things with the ball and composed as well.

“Getting that goal, in that weather, when you can hardly see, can’t see a thing, that’s the all-important thing. Second half, you can’t say whether we were the better side or what have you, getting the first and the second followed that’s killed it for us.

“I believe the first one was a deflection, someone said it took a wicked deflection, and the second ones just great. It’s a lovely finish,” Moore added on the goals.

“Connor [McCarthy] will get you goals, he’ll tell you himself, his sharpness isn’t fully there but he’s involved in every game and if that extra bit of sharpness – that we know he has – comes back, you’ve got an unbelievable player.”

There was an enforced change ahead of kick-off as Ryan Smith was forced out of the starting line-up through injury and replaced by Jonathon Swatton.

The Breck put in an assured defensive performance which resulted in the clean sheet. The Breck boss concluded: “Another lad in the warm-up [injured], another defender, to be fair to Ryan [Smith], he had his best game Saturday so he was gutted.

“Another defensive change, you move one lad over, Jono [Swatton] comes in, I think he had a hamstring injury. It’s back to the wall defensively but it’s hard to pinpoint it on the defenders but as a team, the ‘keeper and the back four are keeping a clean sheet, to them it’s just as good as a goal.”

[Featured image: Paul Moran]


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