‘The target is to become a team similar to Hackney Wick.’
Coggeshall United manager Cliff Akurang has admitted that his side’s aim is to “become a team similar to Hackney Wick [FC]”, after his players suffered a 3-0 home defeat against Chris Davis’ men on Saturday.
“I think the better team on the day won,” Akurang said, following Coggeshall’s loss to Hackney Wick in the Thurlow Nunn league last weekend.
“It came down to a really sloppy mistake that opened the door, and once you’re behind and chasing the game, the other team are well suited for the counter-attack. As much as we kept pushing forward, they were really quick on the break.”
The manager also admitted that his team’s performance was hampered by numerous injuries to key players in the squad.
“This morning, getting to the game, I think the team changed about five times,” a frustrated Akurang said.
“There was no Crippo [Sam Cripps] today. Even just in the warm-up, we lost George [Smith], so that was the best I could put out for the players I had available today.
“I moved Danny Scott into the centre of midfield. He’s always solid when he’s on the right-hand side, but really you want that through a larger part of the game. I had a lot of right-backs, maybe three or four today, so it was a change that I could comfortably make, knowing that I still had adequate cover.
“From what I had available and from what I wanted to do in the game, those were the best players. Unfortunately it wasn’t good enough on the day.”
Akurang was criticised by some fans for not having a plan B, but said that tactical plans were also affected by the weakened state of his team.
“Today was slightly different to usual because of the personnel. There probably wasn’t as much of a plan B, but we always have plans all the way to F, to figure out the opposition and see if we can get the better of them. But with fewer options you get less of an opportunity to try out different things.”
The manager would not blame the defeat solely on his team’s injuries, however, as he acknowledged the quality that Hackney Wick possess.
“They just so happened to be the quicker team. It’s not something we’re used to playing against. There’s not going to be many teams that are going to be able to match our speed and our fitness, but that was one of them.
“[Hackney Wick FC are] a team that came down into our league, not up [like us], so if you grasp where they were and where we were last year, there was two leagues’ difference.
“The target that we’re trying to get to is to become a team similar to Hackney Wick, and play a similar style.”
Despite the defeat, Coggeshall United still sit fifth in the league table and one place above Hackney Wick, and have a chance to end the season in a play-off place. Some supporters believe that a top-two finish – and automatic promotion – is achievable, but Akurang was adamant that his team would not get carried away.
“The only people that are talking about promotion are the people outside the dressing room,” he said. “I’m just taking one game at a time.”
