Source: FOOTYMAD
Sturrock: 'Conditions on the pitch are very difficult'; Holdworth: 'We've bossed the game'
Both Southend United's Paul Sturrock and Aldershot Town's Dean Holdsworth had their say after the scoreless stalemate at Roots Hall Saturday kept their sides firmly enclosed in mid-table. Sturrock: 'Play-offs are a big ask, but you never give up hope'It was not pretty stuff in south-east essex Saturday afternoon as India were defeating Sri Lanka in the 50-over Cricket World Cup Final, but, as ever, both managers were determined to remain optimistic, though Blues boss Paul Sturrock did take another swipe at the hallowed Roots Hall turf.Sturrock told BBC Essex: "We should have hit the target in two or three of our chances, but that's football and we should be doing better at home. The conditions on the pitch at the moment are very difficult and the ball is bouncing much higher and it was one of those games where both teams cancelled each other out."The final, final end of our play-off chances? (Nine points behind 7th placed Gillingham with seven games remaining.) Luggy was not going to concede defeat!: "It's a big ask, but you never give up hope. We are going to give it our best shot."The Shrimpers official report:www.southendunited.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10444~51943,00.htmlHoldsworth: 'Expectancy has been turned around and we've raised the bar'Meanwhile, Shots boss Dean Holdsworth was in no doubt who was the better side on the day.Holdsworth told www.theshots.co.uk: "We've bossed the game and I thought we played very, very well and not a reflection on how well we've played, but we've shown that you have to concentrate for ninety-minutes - and they've [Southend] have had two chances in that they've put the ball into the box and we've not concentrated and they've hit the crossbar so they've created chances from that."He was certainly certain that if his team had accepted one or two early opportunities the points would have all gone back to Hampshire as they increased their unbeaten run to eight games. Holdsworth explained: "I felt that if we'd taken our chances in the first half, we'd have gone on and won the game but I'm very pleased with the performance because 95% of that game we bossed and I didn't see any chances at all. We're away from home and you'd accept a clean sheet and I'm pleased with that.Hang on, you just said the Shrimpers hit the bar, which they did and it should have gone in, also the Shots keeper Young pulled off a stunning save from Grant's 25-yarder. Oh well, Deanos's happy and that's what matters!Holdsworth concluded: "I want to carry on playing well and I want the players to perform and to come here [Southend] it's a good club with high expectations as well and we've come here and got a point - would I have taken it? Yes, but did I believe we could take any more? I did, yeah."The Shots view:www.theshots.co.uk/MatchReport.ink?matchid=18197&type=m&storytype=
