Paul Tisdale views Tuesday’s 6-0 victory over Cambridge United as the ideal response to a tricky festive period.
Tisdale’s side ended a run of three games without a win in stunning style at Stadium MK, scoring three goals in each half against the U’s to make the ideal start to 2019 and remain second in the Sky Bet League Two table.
“We really needed that after a tough couple of weeks,” Tisdale said in his post-match press conference. “It’s only one game and three points but it just feels nice.
“I’m so pleased for the supporters. We had a good crowd here today. It just reminds everyone that we’re still backing ourselves after a tough couple of weeks.
“It certainly starts the year off nicely.”
On the performance, Tisdale commented: “Win, lose or draw, we want to see us. We didn’t get that at Cheltenham [Town] but we saw it at Northampton [Town] and again today - just today, the performance got the result.
“We weren’t faultless by any means - there would be an argument to say we played better at Northampton - but it’s about the result. We conceded chances today and they came close to scoring but it was an attacking performance and I’m so pleased with that.”
Here’s what else Tisdale had to say in his post-match press conference…
Praise for management team
“I had a lot of help from the management leading into this game. Danny Butterfield contributed hugely to my team talk today. It’s really important those people get mentioned - Danny, Matt Oakley and Mel Gwinnett. It’s been a tough week or two for us as well, trying to get the team going and to bounce back.”
Hopeful Chuks Aneke will remain a Don for the remainder of the season
“There will be speculation [about his future] but it’s a different dynamic now than there was in the summer. In August, there was a whole season in front of him but now there’s only three or four months. I’d very much like to think he’ll be with us through to the end of the season, scoring more goals and contributing to us being successful. That’s what we hope. I’ve heard nothing that makes me think any different but January is a long month. I’ve been here many times before where you think you’re there on something and it just changes. I want as many of these players available to me as I can.”
Osman Sow has a place in Tis’ team
“Simon [Crampton] and his team have spent so much time with Osman, creating a pattern of training which helps Osman become available to play. They’ve done that over a two to three month period. Today was a result of two or three months work. Hopefully this is the start of Osman being available to us. There is a place in our team for him and Peter Pawlett and other players who have been out of the team because of injury.”
Cavalry arriving
“We’ve got 10 days now and hopefully we’ll have Jordan Moore-Taylor fully fit then and Joe Walsh not too far away. Then the cavalry comes and it will feel like new signings.”
