Source: Northern_Echo
Cooper demands immediate improvement
HAVING been let down by the display against Luton Town on Tuesday, Darlington manager Mark Cooper is looking for his players to take their anger out on AFC Telford United in the FA Trophy this weekend.[LNB] The 4-0 defeat was Quakers' heaviest on the road since shipping five under Steve Staunton at Torquay in December 2009.[LNB] Cooper was frustrated with several aspects of the performance, including the space afforded to Claude Gnakpa and Lloyd Owusu for the first and third goals, but was particularly annoyed with his side's lack of will to take all three points.[LNB] The first goal set us back and after that we gave in and that's not acceptable, said Cooper. It's all about desire.[LNB] It doesn't matter what system you play or what tactics, if the opposition want to win more than you they invariably do and that's what happened.[LNB] One team wanted to win more than the other and hopefully seven or eight of my players will look at themselves in the mirror and realise they haven't given enough to the club and the supporters who travelled down.[LNB] Darlington visit Telford on Saturday bidding to take their place in the last eight of the FA Trophy in a match which offers Quakers an immediate chance to rid themselves of the disappointment felt by the loss at Kenilworth Road.[LNB] We want to get to Wembley so we're going to take all our anger out on Telford but I just wish I could be playing, Cooper continued. It's up to the players. They've got to put in a performance, train hard for the rest of this week and put in a display which ensures we get through to the quarter-finals.[LNB] Al six of Darlington's previous Blue Square Bet Premier defeats had been by a singlegoal margin, while Quakers boasted the second tightest defence in the league prior to their midweek setback.[LNB] When asked how it could affect confidence, Cooper said: We'll find out on Saturday.[LNB] I can't answer that because it's how you bounce back from a defeat like this. Look at Wimbledon; they went to York and conceded four on Tuesday, so it's a tight league.[LNB] You don't win any game of football if you lose the battle and we lost the battle big time.[LNB] Saturday's Trophy fixture man the scheduled trip to Newport County has been postponed and rearranged for Tuesday, April 5 (7.45pm).[LNB] Quakers' home game with Kettering Town, postponed last Saturday, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 22 (7.45pm).[LNB]
