Written by Oliver Heathcote
A valiant effort from the Tudors saw them muster a second half comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2, against a newly promoted Salisbury side. Goals from Ricardo German and Brandon Barzey alongside an excellent second half performance ensured that the Tudors started the season with a point on the board.
Reflecting upon the game, head coach Bobby Wilkinson was pleased with the resilience shown from the team, saying “My boys showed something I’m glad I’ve seen because when you’re 0-2 down, they could have just given up and heads could have dropped which is something I don’t accept at this football club”. After an underwhelming first half, with Wilkinson disappointed at the way the Tudors kept the ball, he was particularly impressed with the belief shown by the players to overcome the two-goal deficit and level up the game, admitting “it was a game of two halves”.
Competing against Salisbury, the away side were able to take advantage of the Tudors in the first half, with former player Craig Fasanmade netting a double. Wilkinson was complimentary of the visitors, stating “They were very good. They came here with no fear. You could tell they have been promoted and together for a while”. He also admitted that either side could have won it towards the end of the game, despite a red card being produced to Salisbury goalkeeper Ryan Gosney.
Moving onwards, Bobby remains highly optimistic about building on the performance and continuing to improve. He insists that remaining positive, keeping determined and working together as a team will help the team achieve success. Speaking about the importance of the opening game, he says “What you want to do as a manager is leave the building knowing you can work on it”. He mentions that “If you stick together and you stay positive, you will always do well for success”, with team cohesion being a vital factor in a successful team.
Ahead of Saturday’s fixture away at Weymouth, Wilkinson was surprised to see the Weymouth manager at the game. He states that ‘They’ve done their homework on us’ and how preparations will be difficult ahead of the long trip. Speaking of his former club, Wilkinson says “It is a fantastic football club with great people” and that “We will go down there and try to play the way we did second half with a little bit of passion and desire and see where we get”. Having lost 3-2 away to Tonbridge Angels, Weymouth will be looking to avenge this against the Tudors.
The start of the campaign is an important time to build upon the foundations set in preseason. An unbeaten run to start the season can prove crucial to the confidence of the team, as they strive to achieve success this year.
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