Daryl McMahon was impressed by his side’s management of their win at Barrow this afternoon, in particular the fight and assuredness in defence.
“I thought we defended our box excellently today,” he said. “To a man, everyone who came back for corners and long throws defended everything really well from inside the box. It was a battle, a tough game. It’s a tough place to come like we said before the game and a good performance from us.We travelled up yesterday. When you come all the way up here, it’s two days away from your home and your families and it’s nice to go back with three points.”
Fleet’s crucial breakthrough came with Dean Rance’s 10th club goal in the first half and the visitors also struck the post twice in a controlled performance.
“I was happy with how we were playing in the first half,” McMahon said. “We could have taken some chances in the first half and that made the second half even tougher but I was pleased to get the win.”
Fleet were under pressure from Barrow’s long throws and high balls into the box but clear-cut chances were less frequent and the manager thought his side kept the Bluebirds at arms’ length for the most part.
“There were a lot of balls coming into our box,” he said, “but for all that, we restricted their chances. It was never going to be pretty with Barrow where they are in the league table. If you go away to a side in the relegation zone at this stage of the season, it’s not going to be a particularly good football match. It’s going to be about scrapping and defending and being better in both boxes than the opposition. And luckily for us we were.
“There were a few long throws that were dangerous and Nathan’s been blocked in where they’ve surrounded him with three or four big lads and the ball’s come in from those throws hard and flat, so it comes through a crowd but he and the defence have handled it well.”
