He bleeds 100 per cent

Last updated : 04 April 2005 By Tony Scholes

It was a first game in charge for new Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd and although his side were beaten and are facing a relegation battle he was pleased to see his side turn in a better performance in the second half.

“I was very pleased with the second half performance, that really gives us all something to build on ahead of Tuesday’s game at Plymouth,” he said after the game.

“There were some great individual efforts as part of a terrific team display. Gavin Mahon, in particular, was absolutely outstanding. He led by example, always wanting to get on the ball, keeping the play going and was right at the heart of our work.

“We made Burnley look poor at times after a first half which wasn’t so good but I put that down to the fact the players are getting used to different things we’re asking of them.”

Looking at the second half he added, “If we’d got a goal from of the five or six chances we had, we’d have been right back in there and firmly in control. It didn’t happen for us but we kept going and got a goal eventually. But I’ve got lots of positives to take away from today after the second half.”

Steve Cotterill didn’t quite see it like that although, unlike Boothroyd, he was happier with his side’s first half performance. “In the first half I thought we played very well,” Steve said after the game.

“We were probably worried about our first half before the game because of the break, but in the end we had to worry about our second half when we had to be more on our toes.

“We scored some very good goals and I was delighted with that and when we scored our third goal that helped because Watford came out and had a go at us for twenty minutes in the second half.

“We were worth our two goal lead at half time though and I thought we deserved to hold on to it in the second half.”

Looking at the goals Steve said, “It was a great strike from James O’Connor,” then laughing added, “But he probably won’t score now for the next three months.

“For all Dean Bowditch’s good play, he hasn’t been getting too many efforts on goal and he needed that to reward him for all his hard work and link up play. We’re delighted for him today because he’s needed a goal and it will do his confidence the world of good.”

And onto the third goal, or really Ade Akinbiyi who played his first 90 minutes for the Clarets on the Turf. “Ade didn’t get a goal today, but I’m absolutely delighted with his performance. He’s certainly not the silkiest, but if you cut him in half, he bleeds 100 per cent.”

Joking he added, “I thought he gave us that today and I think he’ll go on to be better because he’s probably now played two games, two minutes and 38 seconds in three or four months. We’ll get a few more games out of him now.

“The unselfishness at the end when he’s chased a ball down, shrugged a defender off and then rolled it into Jean Louis’ path was excellent. If that had been me, I’d have had a shot on my left foot, but that’s what Ade is all about.

“The lad is a giver. There are people who take in this life and there are people who give and that’s what he is.”

There was one disappointed for the Clarets’ boss, we conceded a goal again. “It was a poor goal because we don’t like to concede goals in any game, let alone from set plays,” he said. “We’re disappointed about it and we’ve spoken about it.”