Johnnie Jackson accepts we have made great progress this season but has underlined his ambition to achieve promotion with the Dons.
Our hopes of making the Sky Bet League Two play-offs were brought to an end today as we lost out 3-2 to Tranmere Rovers, with our result combined with others elsewhere making it mathematically impossible to make the top seven.
Undoubtedly our players, staff and supporters will feel disappointed at this fact, but Johnnie has stressed the importance of looking forward as we bid to go one better next season.
Here, as part of his post-match interview, our manager gives his feelings on the result, the red card for John-Joe O’Toole, Josh Kelly’s first goals for the Club and provides an injury update on Ryan McLean, Armani Little and James Tilley.
ON MISSING OUT ON THE PLAY-OFFS…
We’re disappointed. Losing the match, knowing that the season in terms of making the play-offs is finished. We knew it was a long shot coming into today but we wanted to do our bit. We didn’t do that. We started the game okay and then we lost our way and it was poor in that first period.
I asked for a response at half-time, which we certainly saw. We were absolutely magnificent in the second-half considering we were a man down for most of it. We couldn’t quite claw our way back.
ON MAKING PROGRESS WITH THE CLUB…
We’ve moved the Club forwards and if we can continue to do that and get the summer right, we’ll be in a great position. There’s a lot to look forward to, including a game in front of our fans next week.
If you look at the key metrics, such as goals for and goals against, they’ve improved. The defensive aspect of our season has been great on the whole. We have the third best defence and we’ve kept 16 clean sheets. Everything has moved forwards but we want more. We’re not satisfied with that – we want to win and we all want that for this football club. It hasn’t happened this season but next season we want to be in the business of winning for this club.
ON THE RED CARD…
I think it’s harsh. JJ isn’t off the ground with his feet, his boots on the ball, not on the man. The referee was very quick to get the red card out. That’s another one that’s cost us. We had to do without Ronan Curtis for three games, that was another harsh decision and then today we get the goal back and then the red card makes things much tougher.
ON JOSH KELLY…
We’ve been working hard with him to get him into the right positions. His first goal was brilliant, it was something we work a lot on in training. It’s a move that we need to get better at. He took it really well and I’m delighted for Josh because it was difficult for him to come in when he did. Having not scored up to now, of course he would’ve been thinking about it.
ON RYAN MCLEAN…
He’s not in a good way. He twisted his knee on the edge of the pitch. I’m gutted for him because it was his first start in the league. The opportunities he’s had, he’s made a good impact. He’s been robbed of one today. I was excited to watch him play today.
ON ARMANI LITTLE AND JAMES TILLEY…
Armani is out for the season. He turned his ankle during the week. Tills got a knock yesterday in training which was disappointing as it was just before we travelled up. We missed two important players, which is something that we’ve had to do for most of the season.
ON OUR FANS…
They were unbelievable. They stayed with the lads. They could have easily not got behind us when things weren’t going great. They applauded the lads off at the end. I think they can see that the lads are giving absolutely everything, even in defeat. It’s been down to technical failings, not effort and endeavor. The boys give everything and that’s reflected in our support. The way they get behind the boys is a credit to the football club. We’re gutted for them that we didn’t get to where we wanted to get to.
There will be an excitement about what next and we’ll be aiming to get that right so that next year we’ll be sat here talking about how great a season it’s been rather than how much we’ve improved.
PICS: Malcolm Bryce (Pro Sports Images)
