Morecambe 0 FC Halifax Town 0: How the managers reacted

Morecambe manager Jim Bentley and his FC Halifax Town counterpart, Jamie Fullarton, spoke following Saturday's FA Cup stalemate; these were their initial reactions.....
Jordan Cranston was one of the Morecambe players forced into shooting from distanceJordan Cranston was one of the Morecambe players forced into shooting from distance
Jordan Cranston was one of the Morecambe players forced into shooting from distance

Jim Bentley: “I’m disappointed, obviously, because it’s a home game and we wanted to win.

“We had spoken about things, worked on things and, at times, we got it right and some of our football was good to watch.

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“If we tightened up the end product – when to pass, when to dribble, when to shoot – then we’d give ourselves a better chance.

“We were passing when it was on to shoot,we were shooting when it was on to dribble and so on.

“There’s always a threat – and I’ve seen it myself with non-league sides playing away from home – because they weren’t in the greatest of form and they were going to come here and have a go.

“I felt quite comfortable and I felt it was only going to be us who scored but, first half, we were waiting for something to happen.

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“Second half, we had that spell where we hit the bar, had a couple of other chances and then they hit us on the break.

“I go on about game management and, if I’m their manager, I’m going on about that offside decision at the end.

“We got a corner and it was like everyone was thinking they were going to be the one to score.

“We had seven players steaming into the box and no-one sitting on the edge and holding.

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“Changes are made within the game but we give players responsibilities and we work through set plays; that’s when you’re looking for a bit of leadership and discipline.

“If someone pulls out to the edge and thinks they will stand there, they can still get a shot off if it drops to them or, if it goes out, it means we aren’t bare at the back.”

Jamie Fullarton: “I think, first and foremost, when you’re coming to play against a team that’s in the league above you, at full strength, having had a great result against Yeovil on Saturday, the challenge is for us to play well,

“And we had to play well to get anything from the game, and I felt that.

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“Although, being super-critical, there’s areas where I want us to do better and show a bit more composure in the final third, to a man the application and attitude was first class.

“We thoroughly deserved something from it. If you do that every game, every week then you’ll get a consistent of winning more games than you lose, or not losing games.

“So that’s pleasing. We’re in the hat for the next round but let’s not carried away with any sort of euphoria.

“It gives us another chance, another game against a team that’s in the league above us, that definitely will feel the same way I’m feeling.”