Billy Waters earns manager praise as Cheltenham see off Notts County
Posted Sunday, March 10, 2019 by PA
Cheltenham manager Michael Duff was full of praise for Billy Waters after he returned to the starting line-up in Saturday’s 4-1 victory at home to struggling Notts County.
The 24-year-old Waters – on-loan from Northampton until the end of the season – netted his second goal in as many games after boosting his fitness with the club’s youngsters.
Will Boyle headed Cheltenham into a 29th-minute lead with Luke Varney tucking away a second from the penalty spot seven minutes later following a foul on Waters.
It was 3-0 10 minutes into the second half when Waters rolled in a goal and – although Kane Hemmings pulled one back from the penalty spot after 69 minutes – Tyrone Barnett wrapped things up with two minutes remaining from close range.
“It’s a reaction to playing proper football,” the Cheltenham boss said. “Reserve or under-23 games don’t have the same intensity.
“If someone is 3-0 down in an under-23 game, they are not fighting like they (Notts) were today because they’re scrapping for their lives.
“Billy looked sharp, took his goal well and could have had a couple more.”
While he was happy with the victory, Duff thought his side could have won by more than the 4-1 scoreline suggested.
He added: “It was a funny one really because we’ve just won 4-1 with the handbrake on a little bit.
“You’d have taken that result and that performance all day. Their only shot on goal was the penalty.
“I felt that at 3-0 you can really go and kill them off and we didn’t know whether to stick or twist which is understandable because it’s natural to protect what you have – but then you end up inviting them on.
“But if you are going to improve to the next level – and I think we’re in that middle group now rather than the bottom group – then you need that killer instinct.”
Disappointed Notts County boss Neal Ardley admitted his players have not been good enough against their relegation rivals as they sit at the bottom of the table.
“I’m really, really angry today,” he said. “I stick up for the boys and I always try not to hang them out to dry – it’s not my style. But that wasn’t good enough.
“We prepped them today and we knew what was coming. We worked hard during the week but didn’t compete well enough and I’m as angry as the group of people who were booing at the end.
“I’ve said to them (the players) that we have 11 games to go and we have to go and play like we are fighting for our lives – but we didn’t.
“They (Cheltenham) didn’t really earn their goals. Every time they put a ball in the box they got a free header from six yards out.
“We didn’t defend our box well enough and we didn’t hurt them enough. We played three up in the second half chasing the game and we didn’t play to them.”
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