Post Match - FCUM

Following a narrow 2-1 defeat against FC United of Manchester in the Northern Premier League, Head coach Nathan Haslam shared his post-match reflections with Spartans' media team member, Phil Castiaux.

Due to audio issues, here is the transcript of the interview:

Phil: “A 2-1 defeat here at FC United of Manchester. The second-half performance was much improved, but the result must be frustrating. What's your take on the game?”

Nathan: “Unfortunately, football is a results-driven game, and today we came away empty-handed.”

“We prepared well and were in a good place to get something from this match.”

“The first half didn't offer much in terms of clear chances - it was very even, a real midfield battle.”

“We saw some nice passages of play from both sides, but ultimately, two costly mistakes made the difference. The first goal, from our vantage point, looked a yard offside. The second was a catastrophic error that left them one-on-one.”

“Honestly, I don't think the game deserved a two-goal deficit at that stage. The lads were down at halftime, but we worked hard to lift them and push for something in the second half.”

“In the second half, we dominated possession, created chances, and looked the better side. We didn't look like a team sitting at the bottom of the table - there were a lot of positives to take.”

“Overall, I think we performed very well.”

Phil: “You made an early change when we were trailing. What was the reasoning behind that?”

Nathan: “The substitution was enforced - it's never ideal to make changes that early. JJ [Hooper] has been out for a while, and we didn't want to start him, but the situation called for it.”

“He did well when he came on and showed he's a real threat. It's important we keep him fit moving forward.”

Phil: “There was a system change too, with what appeared to be two up front. It looked fluid and positive. What was your thinking there?”

Nathan: “We switched to a 4-2-3-1, so technically JJ was the lone striker. But with the amount of possession, we had, the rotations and movements gave the impression we were playing two up top.”

“That fluidity and forward momentum is a credit to the players. They worked hard, created chances, and kept pushing.”

“We were on top for most of the second half, but unfortunately, it just wasn't our day.”

Phil: “There seemed to be a lot of belief and unity in the performance today.”

Nathan: “Absolutely. You can see it in the dressing room too. We're working on the psychological side - helping the players feel less burdened and more confident on the pitch.”

“The way they expressed themselves today and in the game against Morpeth shows real progress. We looked solid then, and today we took it up another level.”

“If we keep putting in performances like this and eliminate those costly mistakes, it won't be long before we turn the corner.”

“The lads are down because of the result, but they know we're making strides. Belief and togetherness will be key moving forward.”

Phil: “We caused FC United plenty of problems, didn't we?”

Nathan: “We certainly did. Not many teams will come here and dominate possession the way we did.”

“Some might say they eased off at 2-0, but I don't believe that. I think we were simply the better side for large parts of the game.”

“The players are buying into what we're asking of them, and that confidence is evident on the pitch. We just need to keep building on this momentum.”