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Club News

Keates: an outstanding collective effort

4 August 2018

Club News

Keates: an outstanding collective effort

4 August 2018

Dean Keates refused to single out any individuals after his side came from behind to secure an opening-day win over Plymouth Argyle.

Goals from Andy Cook and Luke Leahy cancelled out Ryan Edwards’ opener five minutes before the break.

Speaking after the game, Keates was keen to praise the overall team performance.

He said: “It was a collective effort, a team effort. For long periods of the game, Robbo was non-existent and then late on he gets called upon. It was all about those concentration levels being bang on for him.

“To a man I thought we were outstanding. But it’s the first game of the season and we are just happy to get the three points.

“It was a home game and we wanted to send the fans home happy at 5pm and we have managed to do that.

“The lads will go away and enjoy the rest of their weekend and we will then get ready for next week.”

Cook’s goal came on the stroke of half-time after he followed up his penalty, which was saved by Argyle keeper Matt Macey.

Keates revealed that Cook was one of the first to put his hand up to take penalties this season, despite new signing Morgan Ferrier winning the spot kick.

Keates continued: “You have seen what Cook is about. Morgan won the penalty and he wanted to take the penalty but Cookie has staked his claim in pre-season that he is taking penalties so he has taken it.

“Fair play to the keeper, he got his leg to it, he is a big lad. He flicked it onto the crossbar but Cook reacted quickly, he wasn’t disappointed, he was on the front foot and he tucked it away.

“In the first game, it is a question that you ask, who wants to take penalties and the words hadn’t even come out of my mouth before his hand was in the air saying he wanted to take them. That is what centre forwards are about.”

Ferrier, who arrived at the club on Friday morning after an agreement was reached with non-league Boreham Wood, was taken off just before the hour mark with a slight injury.

But Keates revealed his withdrawal was only a precaution.

“Morgan has had a full pre-season and he has played a lot of minutes down at Boreham Wood but he only came in yesterday.

“He is going to be a great investment for the club.

“As he was brought down for a free-kick, the lad landed on top of him and he felt his hamstring tighten.

"It was more of a precaution to take him off so that he didn't do too much damage to it.”


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