Our weekly chat with the Budleigh Salterton

We caught up with Budleigh Salterton team boss Dan Carthew for a regular chat on all things ‘Robins’.

First up we asked him for his thoughts on the 3-2 defeat at Liverton United on Saturday.

Dan said: “From our perspective it was a frustrating game and not the level of performance we have been putting in recently, the players and I know that in hindsight we could have played with a bit more guile and creativity.

“That said, when we did get the ball down and focused on our football, we created chances and if it wasn’t for some resolute defending and nous from Liverton in the second half we may have been able to take something from the game for our efforts. “At the end of the day, we’ll learn from the defeat, it won’t stop us, we’ll build off it and look to put that right at the weekend.”

Next up we asked Dan if there was an element of the match that he was pleased about.

He replied saying: “I was pleased that despite being 2-0 down early on we battled hard for the remainder of the half and tied the game 2-2 at the break, our heads didn’t drop and although we were weren’t playing our best football we dug in and gave it a good go and were rewarded for our efforts.”

In contrast, we then asked if there was an element of the performance that he felt ‘we need to work on that’.

He replied: “If I take this particular performance in isolation, I think the main area for improvement was our decision making – at key moments on Saturday we got those decisions wrong and that was the difference on the day.

“That is such an important part of the game and what a player decides to do in a split second can sometimes be difference to a result – until Saturday for the most part we’d been getting that right so I’m confident that the players will work hard this week to make amends ahead of our next game.”

Next up, we put it to the Robins’ boss that, after such a great result at Exwick Villa (the 2-2 draw the week before) perhaps this 3-2 defeat, and to a team that had not previously won this season, was disappointing?

He responded saying: “It is disappointing because the standards which the players had set over the past few weeks dropped against Liverton and we paid the price.

“I said to them last week that there were no easy games in this league, and to their credit, Liverton executed their game plan very well – they got themselves ahead in the second half; dug in and made it very difficult for us to break them down.

“While we were able to answer them in the first half, the third goal didn’t come for us and they managed to keep us out to take all three points”

Next up we asked about the playing side and if there was any updates on injuries, availability and new signings.

The Robins boss said: “Any player news - injuries, players missing, coming back - etc.

“In terms of injuries, Liam O’Brien picked up a nasty knock following a late challenge early on, so we will see how he is doing towards the end of the week with regard to playing – other than that, a couple of regulars will be back with us which will strengthen the squad.

“I’m pleased to welcome Dan Boere back to the club who joins us from Exmouth Town – Dan brings with him a wealth of experience and ability already knows some of the lads and is raring to go – I’m looking forward to having him in the squad on a regular basis.”

Last up, looking ahead to the next game, we asked for his thoughts on Saturday’s (October 24) visit to Alphington.

He said: “The lads know the quality that Alphington will have, the reverse fixture was a game of two halves – they were excellent in the first and deserved to be ahead at half time but we were certainly the better team second half.

“We know that we’ll have to be at our very best against them - we have shown that we can do that and I trust the players to do it this weekend.”