Daryl McMahon tonight dedicated the forthcoming Emirates FA Cup First Round tie against Doncaster Rovers to the Fleet fans as his side turned on the style to see off dogged opposition from East Thurrock United.
“It’s a game for the fans,” McMahon told BBC Radio Kent’s Charles Webster. “You’re playing against a League One team and I said that the fans who came Saturday were unbelievable to be fair. The performance that we gave didn’t warrant what we had out on the terraces. We got through tonight to give them that game against Doncaster and hopefully we can do well there.”
The Fleet boss was delighted with his side’s first-half possession and great attacking threat in the second-half.
“A very good performance,” he declared. “I thought first half we moved the ball really well, dominated possession and put them on the back foot and then second half more of the same. We looked a bit sharper as the game went on, created a number of chances and deservedly won. In the first half we were dominating the game as much as we are and there can be one counterattack and you’re 1-0 down. Then everyone’s depressed but the concentration levels were very good from the defenders in the first half.”
After 150 minutes of goalless action between the sides, McMahon was relieved to see his team make the breakthrough and felt it was a move they could have done with more of in the first half.
“They’re going well in their league and they’ve only lost one game this season and we all know these games are tricky. There’s plenty of games have gone to extra time tonight against lower-division teams, they’re always tough. [The opening goal], I felt we could have done it in the first half, the corner. Every time we put two on the ball, the front post was empty and we said at half-time the first one we get, just move clear of the front post again and stick it in to Jukesy. It was a great finish from him.”
Aaron McLean and Myles Weston scored the sixth and seventh goals by substitutes this season and McMahon felt they gave his side a different dimension to offer another type of threat to East Thurrock.
“[Aaron’s] a different player to Millsy, Aaron’s got in between their centre halves a little bit more. The game got a bit stretched and I thought we could use his movement and pace a little bit more. His goal’s a terrific goal. Weston’s dying to get some goals, we know he’s a goal threat and he probably hasn’t got as many as he’d like so far but great play from Coulson as well, a good ball in and Westy’s in the right position to get a tap-in.”
Listen to the full interview below.
https://soundcloud.com/eufcofficial/daryl-mcmahon-after-etu-replay
