Needham Market vs Chorley: Tom Rothery calls for Marketmen to ‘show character’ after 5-0 defeat at Scarborough Athletic follows 1-0 loss to Marine in National League North
After seeing his relegation-threatened side fall to back-to-back defeats in Vanarama National League North, Needham Market boss Tom Rothery has called on his squad to ‘show character’ going into Saturday’s home game with play-off contenders Chorley (3pm).
The Marketmen followed up Saturday’s narrow 1-0 loss at home to Marine - who increased the gap between them to 10 points via Chris Doyle’s 46th-minute goal - with a chastening 5-0 reverse up at 15th-placed Scarborough Athletic on Tuesday.
The first of Sam Reed’s goals were sandwiched between Harry’s Green’s brace to give the Seadogs a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the break at the Flamingo Land Stadium. After Reed completed his brace within five minutes of the re-start, Stephen Walker added a late fifth.
And Rothery, whose side occupy the final relegation spot and are two points from safety but having played more games, admitted the midweek defeat was a tough one to swallow.
“Just really disappointing and a poor performance all-round,” he told club media officer Drew Kendall.
“Obviously the buck stops with me, so it’s my responsibility.
“We’ve had a few (off days) this season, more than I’m used to seeing.
“I think in the five-and-a-half years I’ve been back, we’ve had a couple of performances this year that are really tough to take really.
“But everyone’s got to lick their wounds, come back Thursday for training and, like I’ve said after, we’ve got to show character.
“It’s easy when things are going well. Now we’ve got to show character and show a little bit of togetherness.”
Feeling they gave ‘quite a few legs ups’ for the Scarborough goals, he added: “We can either take it and roll over or show some character and look to turn it around and be better on Saturday.”
He felt there were some positives to draw out of the night, such as full-back Jake Dye coming through another 45 minutes with both loanees Jake Watkiss and Josh Tomlinson also continuing their comeback paths from injuries.
On their defeat on Saturday to Marine, he said: “I didn’t think there was much in the game really.
“Teddy (Collis) had a big chance in the first half. Luke (Ingram) had a couple of headers in the first half and then we huffed and puffed, but the goal, which was really scrappy, really put us on the back foot.
“And then after that, we huffed and puffed.
“We had a couple of moments, but nothing I can’t really think of a big chance other than Teddy’s in the whole game really, if I’m honest.”
Saturday’s visitors Chorley, who are just inside the play-off places, will arrive in mid Suffolk off the back of Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Curzon Ashton in what has been some patchy form.
“Saturday will be tough,” said Rothery, “and the thing is, when you’re on the end of results like that other teams look at it as well and you know they’ll be mad for it because they’ll be thinking that we’re easy feed and they can just turn up roll us over.
“So we’ve got to show collectively what we’re made of.”
Needham are also in action on Tuesday again with another long trip north, up to County Durham to face 13th-placed Spennymoor Town (7.45pm). The fixture had been scheduled for Saturday, April 5 but had to be moved due to the Moors’ continued run in the FA Trophy.
Academy player weighing up his options
Meanwhile, academy midfielder Charlie Wood is understood to be weighing up his options having followed up an extended trial at AFC Bournemouth with spending this week at Coventry City.
Other clubs, including Derby County, are also believed to be interested in giving the Colchester-based 16-year-old a look.
Wood, a first-year in Needham’s academy who favours playing in central midfield, has made four first-team appearances for Needham Market in National League North since the turn of the year, including one start and one goal.
