Michael Ellison believes Widnes have to take their chances when they come ahead of the “nightmare” Bank Holiday weekend.
*This is the transcript from Off The Park’s interview with Widnes manager, Michael Ellison. It was a mixed week for Widnes, beating Trafford 2-1 in the FA Cup before suffering narrow defeat at Mossley AFC in midweek. They face Hednesford Town then Clitheroe this Bank Holiday Weekend.
Reflections on previous two: “It wasn’t a great performance or a great game, I think both sides were nowhere near their best.
“In hindsight, I probably should’ve made more changes, we looked leggy but we got over the line – in cup competitions it’s just about getting through, we done that.
“There’s things that we need to improve on, we had a better performance in the game after. All in all, we probably had the better chances without being great, we wasn’t at our best but we’re in the hat. That’s the main thing.”
Takeaways from Mossley AFC: “It’s fine margins, it’s a tough place to go. Mossley are a good side, similar to Leek, we were always in the game but the goal from our point of view, is poor.
“|We talk about stopping crosses and [Keaton] Mulvey cutting inside, we let him come inside and switched off at the back post.
“I thought it was a pretty even game, they shaved the first-half but we were better in the first half, we had a penalty shout turned, I haven’t got the words to describe why, then we’ve missed a chance at the end.
“We probably should and could’ve been coming away with a point, we didn’t, and you just hope you get those decisions [in the future]. We’ve got to manage the game better away from home in certain moments and it’s probably cost us in the two away games.”
How important is a weekend like this? “It’s a nightmare, if you win both games it’s a great weekend. You could lose two and then, all of a sudden it’s a bad start.
“I think we have to pick a point up out of each, it’s tough going Saturday then Monday, especially away to Clitheroe. It’s the same for most teams, they’ve got to shuffle the squad, they’ve got to try find a way to play in both games but what I have to do is focus on Saturday [first] then see where we are after that.
“If you’ve got one eye on Monday, you’ll come unstuck in the first game, we’re at home, we’re going to try get three points against a very good side in Hednesford then Clitheroe.
“There’s no easy games in this division, I’ve watched at least four games in this division in recent weeks and they’re all so close. It’s fine margins in games, we’ve got to defend better in moments, we’re creating chances in games and we’ve got to take them.”
