My players bottled it and let me down big time, rages McMahon - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Sunday 14th January 2007
Thamesmead Town manager Keith McMahon laid into his players after they failed to perform during the top-two Kent League showdown at Whitstable Town yesterday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Goals from Whitstable strikers Steve Marshall and Stuart King enabled Marc Seager’s side to move four points clear at the top of the table.

Unbeaten Whitstable, who travel to Lordswood next Saturday, do have two games in hand and are favourites for the title.
 
“Very disappointed.  Not disappointed to lose but disappointed with some of my players to be fair,” McMahon admitted EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after his side crashed to their fourth defeat of the season after The Belmont clash.
 
“Two mistakes for the goals and some of my experienced players let me down.
 
“I’ll back my team to the hills, always come out and stand up for them but not today!
 
“I thought some of them bottled it on the big occasion, so yes, very disappointed.”
 
McMahon felt his side didn’t express themselves as they have done during the course of the campaign.
 
He said:  “We didn’t pass the ball, we’re a passing side.  For the first 45 minutes I don’t think we played one ten-yard ball.
 
“We were launching it, giving it to them.  We played it into their hands to be fair (and)  they weren’t even bothering us.
 
“I haven’t got any problems we’ve lost.  I think Sporting Bengal would have beaten us today and that’s no disrespect to them – we just didn’t have a shot on goal.”
 
The only plus points from the game was the performance of Adam Woodward, Thamesmead’s seventeen-year-old goalkeeper.
 
“That is why I’m really angry,” explained McMahon.  “Adam’s just turned seventeen, I’ve known his for a couple of years.
 
“If anybody showed the commitment that he did, we would have won this game comfortably.  I thought he was brilliant.
 
“He was so unlucky, he made two great saves for the two goals (but) we just stood and watched while they put in the rebound.
 
“He didn’t have too much to do but what he done, he was brilliant.
 
“I made the choice to go with him today (Sam Mills and Danny Kemp) were sent to the reserves. The young fella has been a big, big plus for us this year.”

Whitstable manager Marc Seager was also impressed with Thamesmead's young goalkeeper, adding: "I thought he was absoutely outstanding for his age."

Ryman League Division One South outfit Tooting & Mitcham United visit Bayliss Avenue on Tuesday night in a London Senior Cup third round clash.
 
But McMahon is focusing on their next Kent League game – at home to Croydon next Saturday.
 
Third placed Croydon are just one point behind the Mead – with one game in hand - and McMahon is desperate for his side to bounce back.
 
But Croydon, who defeated Lordswood courtesy of Ryan Watts’ strike yesterday, will not be a pushover as they have won their last eight games and are unbeaten in fourteen outings.
 
“We both knew it wasn’t going to be won or lost, we’ve got a long way to go, a lot of work to do, especially after today’s performance,” said McMahon.
 
“We need to pick ourselves up.  We’ve got some home games but it’s not in our hands.
 
“Not too fussed about Tuesday night to be fair. I’m more worried about Saturday.
 
“London Cup’s nice, we knocked Dulwich out in the last round but to be honest with you, play like we did today and we’ll get hammered.
 
“Croydon are a good side,” he added.  “We look to bounce back to beat them or otherwise they can go above us.
 
“We need to get ourselves back and stop feeling for ourselves.
 
“I’m not going to stick up for people.  I want people who want to win.  I just thought we let ourselves down big time today and we can’t afford to do that again.
 
“Next week, if we lose again then it would be good night nurse.”
 
McMahon will ring the changes against a Tooting & Mitcham United side that defeated Metropolitan Police 3-1 at Imperial Fields yesterday.
 
“There’s definitely going to be some changes Tuesday night,” he promised.
 
“I’ve left a few fellas out today, a few youngsters, to put in a few experienced players and I made a mistake.
 
“I should have gone with the youngsters who have done well for me in the past.
 
“So Tuesday night there will be a lot of changes and if the people who come in do well they will keep their place for Saturday.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk

 
Thamesmead Town  v  Tooting & Mitcham United
London Senior Cup Third Round
Tuesday 16th January 2007
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ