Our first defeat could be a blessing, says Townsley
Last updated 05:42, Friday, 05 September 2008
OLD warhorse Derek Townsley reckons Annan Athletic’s Scottish League rookies will learn from last weekend’s 4-2 home defeat to Albion Rovers.
The player/assistant manager blamed errors at both ends for the defeat in front of another packed house at Galabank, which finally ended their unbeaten start to life in the Scottish Third Division.
Townsley and boss Harry Cairney put their players through two gruelling training sessions this week in a bid to purge themselves of the disappointing defeat. With Annan facing a blank day tomorrow because of Scotland’s World Cup qualifier, Townsley insists there will be no hang-over from the set-back the following weekend on the long-haul trek to Elgin City.
The 35-year-old former Gretna, Hibs and Motherwell star, who scored his first goal of the season on Saturday, said: “It was the manner of the defeat which was most disappointing as we gave away poor goals and we also need to be more clinical in front of goal.
“It’s all new to the players this year and I would like to think they learned something from Saturday. It might be a blessing in disguise.
“The start we’ve had surprised everyone and this brought us back down to earth, so now it’s back to basics.
Penrith will be hoping to recover from back-to-back home defeats when they entertain Atherton LR in the FA Vase first qualifying round at the World Group Stadium tomorrow.
The Blues were knocked out of the FA Cup 3-1 by Clitheroe last weekend, before losing 2-1 to Sunderland Nissan in the Northern League.
Co-manager Richard Prokas said: “The lads were disappointed but I’m sure they will take encouragement from the way they played.”
Penrith travel to Bishop Auckland on Wednesday.
Gretna travel to Selkirk tomorrow in the Image Printers Cup second round, hoping to maintain the form which sees them top the East of Scotland Premier Division with four wins out of four.
The reformed Black and Whites are without Stephen Rudd who is suspended.
