Blackpool quotes, Lennie, Prior and McMahon.

Last updated : 21 October 2002 By Michael Morris

Spencer Prior talking to the Western Mail
"They deserved that bit of luck." Said Prior on Blackpools second half goal. "They had a couple of good chances in the first half and didn't take them, so we were happy to come in at 0-0 at half-time. We never really got started at all. You can look at what's happened in the week. We've had some disruptions and players away. Maybe it's a factor but maybe it's an excuse as well. It would be easy to say we had a long trip up here and we've had players away on international duty this week. But that can't be helped and we're not here to make excuses.

"We're here to look at reasons and the reason we didn't play well was that we didn't work hard enough collectively. But we don't need to beat ourselves up too much. We've still got a long way to go and we're still averaging two points a game, which isn't bad really."

"We never looked like scoring and could have possibly been two or three down at half-time. But we'll all pull together and hopefully we'll go on the same run away from home after our last defeat. It's a shame the run has ended at a place where we thought we had a good chance not just to get a draw but to win the game. You just can't ignore a performance like that. You have to look at it and realise we didn't pass the ball particularly well. We'll try and go back to basics, start again and hopefully start another great run.

"We shouldn't need a wake-up call. We're top of the league and if that's not enough incentive to stay up there we'll never get promoted. We are disappointed how we've performed. We've had a great travelling support once again and we're disappointed that we haven't got a result for them.

"The guy got the ball wide out on his own and I left it as late as I possibly could to go across to him. I got over there but his cross came off my shin and gone inside the near post. Neil's anticipated the cross and it's just one of those freak things. No-one's going to blame Neil for it.

"I haven't scored one of those for years. I certainly wouldn't like to see an OG in the paper because I don't get in positions to score them. It's just so disapppointing because I felt we let them be a good side as we didn't pass the ball or play well. Give them credit because they did close us down well, but we expect that against us. We've got the players who can adapt to that and play through that but it didn't happen for us here."

Lennie Lawrence talking to the South Wales Echo
"WE surrendered our long unbeaten away record and we did that too tamely for my liking. Credit to Blackpool, particularly on their first half showing, but we did not maintain our usual high standards. It's been a strange week and half the players have not been with us for one reason or another. But we worked as if we had the attitude that it didn't matter because whatever happened we would get a result.

Our away record was also the best I have ever been involved with. That also goes for most of the players and they can be proud of that. We've lost and we didn't play well, but we mustn't go overboard about it. We did not create much at all and could have gone in one or two goals down. Having said that, Blackpool's goal was fortunate because it took a deflection.

We had pressure, but not enough clear cut chances. Our crossing wasn't good enough, our delivery from set pieces was below par. Our passing, too, was not up to usual standards. It was a bad day at the office and we haven't had too many of those. Defeat would have been easier to accept at Wigan because they played so well. It's now four away games on the trot where we have not started well. If the attitude is that we will get a result no matter what then the message is clear. No, we will not.

The pitch was first class and the referee was fair. There are no excuses for this defeat. But then Arsenal lost as well and lost their long unbeaten record. It happens to the best of us."

Steve McMahon talking to the South Wales Echo
"We were superb from start to finish. Okay, we had to defend for our lives late on, but the players were up for that and did the job. We worked hard, there was plenty of spirit, our passing was spot on, our concentration was good - I could not fault one player in any way. It was the perfect result after the disappointment of our 2-1 defeat against QPR.

Cardiff City are some team, they are a team heading for promotion. Just look at their subs bench - Fortune-West, Campbell and so many good players. We were awesome during the first half and for a lot of the second. Cardiff were always going to hit back, but we weathered the storm so well.

John Hills is a trojan - and he deserved man of the match. He doesn't train through the week because of injuries, but he battles through matches and does a brilliant job. We are turning Bloomfield Road into a fortress. We'll lose occasionally, but not too often if we play like this."