Josh Gowling Applauds The Travelling Support
Hereford's recent good form came to an end at Southport this afternoon in difficult conditions. Two mistakes gifted the home team three points and afterwards an unhappy manager Josh Gowling spoke to the local media about the defeat.
"Two mistakes aren't they," said Gowling.
"We spoke before the game about coming here.
"The first goal we tried to get it out when it's just died in the mud.
"The second goal we passed it back to the keeper in the middle bath and it stopped and they put it in.
"I'm not happy."
Keith Hall suggested that Gowling must be pleased with the determination of the side throught the ninty minutes.
"Yes, but we lost 2-0.
"You can put that work in and you make two mistakes which cost you the game so that hard work goes for nothing.
"I thought we had some half decent chances as well but we were a bit flakey in the box that end and the two errors that led to their goals cost us the game.
"We spoke before the game and said first half we'll go against the elements, be solid, be organised and get to half time 0-0 then second half try and play a bit more and go and win the game.
"I thought for large portions of the second half we were the better team but you get a ball in the 18 yard box, and you can see it's not great, and you try and pass the ball back to the keeper, not the smartest idea in the world.
"And then the first goal Yaz has tried to get it out, it's rolling and it's just stopped in the water. He's come in and Brandon has saved it but he's dropped it and they've put it in. Errors that we've not been doing lately. "
Southport mastered the conditions better than Hereford?
"That's why they are unbeaten at home. They've been on a good run like we have but it's a tough place to play football, you can't really play much on here. So you have to deal with the elements, be solid, be organised.
"I said to the lads at the end that should be 0-0 because they are two bad mistakes"
Miles Storey came on as a sub after several weeks out after his head injury at Guiseley.
"Lads are coming back so we've got more competitiveness for the squad. Obviously we've lost 2-0 so we are going to have to look at it. There'll be players knocking on my door on Monday wanting to start. That's the reality of us, it's good we have competition like that and if we are going to make mistakes then people will be out."
Hereford's pitch will be much better next Saturday (for Curzon Ashton) than this pitch today?
"It better had be or Ben will be in trouble.
"It will be a good game. Obviously they play football, we'll play some football at home and we've got a good home record so we'll be looking to win that game.
"It's a position (8th) we want to be in where they are so we've got to make sure we come home and win the game."
The defeat comes on the back of five League wins.
"I don't care about the run to be honest, we've lost today, that's all I care about. Yes we won five games on the bounce but we've lost today 2-0. We should have taken a point from today.
"Looking at our targets and what we wanted we had a point coming here, we would have taken a point before the game and we should have had a point here today with the chances we created. Not doing those two mistakes you take a point. I'm disappointed.
"Today was one of those games where I realish these games. You head it, kick it, clear your lines and you take a draw.
"To be fair to the back four for a large portion of the game I thought they were solid again but then two individual kind of mistakes have lost us the game.
"That's what happens when it windy, rainy in Southport. My hair went a few ways during the game, you couldn't judge the kicks, when you're sliding balls down the side sometimes it's rolling, sometimes it's stopping.
"But at the end of the day it's not an excuse, we knew it before the game so we should have dealt with that better in those two moments that has cost us the game."
Gowling brought off Luke Haines and brought on Ben Pollock late in the game.
"Haines was struggling, he didn't train the other day because of his hamstring, we gave him 48 hours rest to see if he was alright, he said he was fine today so he's played most of the game but at the end it started tightening up so make that change to make sure anything doesn't pull.
"Ben trained Thursday, he trained fine without any problems so Aaron checked him over to see if he was alright and he was fine.
"We spoke to him today and he was fine.
"We prepped him for the game today as we were not sure whether Luke would be fit or not so hewas ready to start anyway.
"It was good to see him back on."