Western League
Premier Division
Saltash United 0 Ilfracombe Town 2
Saltash have to get Street wise and pretty quickly after Thursday night’s disappointing home defeat to mid-table Ilfracombe.
The Ashes have little recovery time before Street visit the Waterways Stadium on Saturday (3pm). But manager Macca Brown doesn’t see that as a problem.
He said: “We have a short time to prepare for Saturday now which is a good thing because you can’t wait to get back out there when you lose.
“We will be better and there’s not a chance that we’ll become one of those teams who’s performances look like they can’t wait for the season to end, because that reflects on us as management and we won’t allow it.
“That wasn’t the case either tonight to be fair because the lads worked their socks off, it just lacked that bit of spark that you need to win games.”
Harry Stevens broke the deadlock for Ilfracombe on Thursday with a bullet header two minutes before the break and the visitors doubled their lead five minutes into the second half with a rocket from Rory Paine.
Ilfracombe had lost 4-0 at leaders Falmouth Town only 48 hours earlier but were worthy winners on their return to Cornwall.
Brown said: “First and foremost congratulations to Clem and Ilfracombe, their week couldn’t get more challenging in terms of travel, they were obviously well beaten on Tuesday in the end but to come here 48 hours later and beat us shows the personality they have in their side.
“I said to our lads before that they would be ready and raring to go because they’re a close knit group and that’s the kind of spirit you get in changing rooms like that.
“As for us, we weren’t really at it. We looked like the team that played on Tuesday really. We worked hard but we certainly lacked a bit of sharpness and I don’t know why that was the case.
“The first 20 minutes were positive and we created some good openings but we didn’t take them, and that’s where we probably should have hurt Ilfracombe.
“They settled into the game and scored from nowhere really at good times. A long deep cross just before half time and then a fantastic strike from distance just after half time.”
He went on: “We know we didn’t hit the standards that we expect though in terms of quality. We’ve had two excellent performances and we are a little bit like that, we need to be more consistent and that’s the challenge.
“We have too many days off and you can’t get away with it at this level. Even when the quality isn’t quite there like last night you still have to find a way to win, that’s what the best teams do.”
Saltash: J Duffey, B Goulty, E Wright, E Goodman (F Tolcher 77), T Yendle, T Badcott (N Salop 78), T Huyton (J Jefford 60), T Love-Holmes, J Curtis (J Ewing 60), A Goulty (J Kelsey 85), J Preece.
Ilfracombe: O Saunders, S Wright, K Paine, H Richards, H Taffs, J Magarotto, D Wilson, R Paine, H Stevens, B Shapland, A Barrow.
Subs: T Elliott-Loude, Cory Roach, L Short, E Jenkins, Charlie Roach.
Goals: H Stevens 43), R Paine (50).
KJM SPORTS 