STIMSON: WE ARE ONE POINT AWAY FROM SAFETY
Sunday 2 May 2010
Speaking to BBC Radio Kent at the post match media conference, Gills manager Mark Stimson (left) said, “I’m very pleased because it was a good win against a very strong side.
They did make changes to their team but whoever was going to play for Southampton today was going to be a good player. The boys went around it in the right way. We tried to get them on the back foot early on and we did that and it was great going in at half-time 1-0 up.
Stimson continued, “But still knowing that it was only half a job done and obviously walking out second-half and seeing Lambert stripped and ready to go on you think right we’re going to have to defend even more now at some stage.
But full credit to the back-four, the goalkeeper and the midfield boys they dug in there at times. We were fortunate to get a second goal, so that was absolutely excellent and to come away with three points was the most important thing today. I know there will be a few people thinking it could have been safe if Tranmere hadn’t have won but most importantly we had to win.”
Stimson added, “If you look at the other side and we got beat today we would have been in a really tricky position but we’re not. We’re one point away from safety and now we’ve got to Wycombe and I’m sure we’ll have a fantastic following.. The noise they’re going to make in that enclosed area at Wycombe is going to be deafening and I can assure them that the players who go out there next week will be going for a win and hopefully get the points to stay in this fantastic division.”
Commenting on the Gills all out attacking line-up, Stimson said, “We had to win today and I’ve always maintained the best form of defence is to attack. We had the front four of Barcham (right) , Oli, Howe, and Jackson and also two very attacking central midfield players in Miller and Weston.
That was the way for us and full credit to them, they did their defensive duties as well and they all had to because we were tested. It’s nice though to score a couple of goals at home in you’re last game of the season and give the supporters something to be proud of and now we’ve just got to finish the job off next week.”
Meanwhile disappointed Alan Pardew (right) told the Saints Official website, “They've got a big, aggressive side, they turn you around constantly," he explained afterwards.
"I felt we should have won if we had been at the races but we weren't if I'm honest. I've told the players how I feel because the fans that came down here would have expected a better performance to be honest.
Pardew continued, “I did make some changes because my focus as well is on next year. I've got to see if one or two players can contribute to next year. They came in and I didn't think they were the culprits. It's difficult when you change three or four whether the other boys think you're taking it lightly but we weren't.
We wanted to see Lee Barnard and Connolly together because if Rickie's ever injured I need to see how they were going to be and how we will get the best out of them. We didn't get the best of them here because we didn't give them any service.”
"It's a good test for some of our squad players I put in and unfortunately it didn't come off for them. You learn from every game and I learned some things and we will be guarded and make sure it doesn't happen again. I certainly guarantee the fans of Southampton that next week we will play our strongest team in terms of what I feel has done the best for us. It's our last home game and I think we deserve to put our best players on the pitch.”