Stevenage caretaker boss Sampson praises focus after Carlisle defeat

Posted Sunday, September 15, 2019 by PA

Caretaker manager Mark Sampson praised the focus of the entire staff at Stevenage despite their 3-2 home defeat to Carlisle.

Sampson’s role as caretaker manager following Dino Maamria’s sacking has started on unsettled footing, with police investigating threatening messages allegedly sent to the ex-England Women boss after he was appointed by the Boro this week.

Life on the pitch started in difficult fashion too, with Harry McKirdy’s double earning Carlisle the points despite Kurtis Guthrie’s brace for the hosts.

“Credit to everybody at the football club for trying to do the right things. Things off the field are out of your control, but you can’t let it affect it,” said the former Lionesses manager.

“Credit to everyone for remaining focused and trying to help the players perform on a Saturday.

“In terms of the game we have a choice to look at the negatives or take the positives.

“We’ve got to have a balance. There were lots of good things after just two days with them on the training ground.

“We’ve scored two good goals, but we know we have some young players in important positions and those players are only going to learn on a match day and those mistakes can be costly.

“Those players will learn, there’s no doubt about that. The players are positive despite everything that’s going on.

“I think we were outsmarted a bit at times and we just need to tidy up on that. Ultimately, we can’t concede the types of goals we conceded.”

Guthrie gave the hosts the perfect start when rifling into the bottom corner but McKirdy levelled with a clinical finish before half-time.

Nathan Thomas put the Cumbrians ahead for the first time before Guthrie secured his brace with an excellent header for the English Football League’s bottom side.

But their fourth point this season wasn’t forthcoming, McKirdy firing home his third goal of the campaign.

“It was a really important game for us. If we wouldn’t have won there then there would have been daylight between us and the top seven clubs,” said manager Steven Pressley.

“We were really devastating on the counter attack and played some controlled football.

“We’ve given away two avoidable moments, but to come away and win is pleasing.

“It seems to be our form away from home is better than our home form and we need to put that back in place on Tuesday night.

“We went ahead and to be pegged back so quickly can be demoralising, but the group responded really well.

“We’ve won our last two away games and a great performance against Salford at home, so it’s a good bit of form.

“It’s really important for the players. A couple of senior players reiterated this in the dressing room – we can’t keep taking a step forward and then two steps back.”