Neil Gibson, manager of Altrincham Football Club, has insisted that there is still much to be optimistic about despite their opening-day loss to Southend United. The match at The J.Davidson Stadium began brightly for the Robins, with a well-executed goal by skipper Tom Crawford in only eight minutes. However, as the game progressed, problems mounted, leading to a 2-1 defeat for Altrincham.
Gibson acknowledged that while he was disappointed with the result, his team’s performance warranted praise. 'While I was disappointed with the result, I was pleased with large aspects of the game and thought, for the first 52 minutes, we were really good,' said Gibson. 'The players were excellent in the way they applied themselves, and even when Southend had a bit more possession than I would have liked, we dealt with it fine.'
The manager highlighted several key points of encouragement. He praised the team's ability to build attacks through their midfielders and attackers, noting that this was evident in Tom Crawford’s goal. 'We’ve got some good, clever footballers who can handle the ball in the midfield and attacking thirds, and that was evident in the build-up and finish,' Gibson explained.
Gibson also took responsibility for a mistake leading to Southend's second goal, stating he would have preferred his goalkeeper Owen Evans to be more cautious with possession. 'The second goal is down to me,' said Gibson. 'I’m asking Owen to do that, but if it goes wrong, I take the responsibility.'
Despite the setback, Gibson remained positive about the team's future prospects. He noted that Matty Kosylo had apologized for his sending-off and expressed confidence in the players' ability to learn from their mistakes.
The Robins will look to build on this experience when they face Sutton United in their next Enterprise National League fixture.
