By PON_News
Notts County head coach Stuart Maynard has expressed his disappointment following a gut-wrenching League Cup exit at the hands of Shrewsbury Town.
Despite leading 2-0 at half-time, Maynard’s side were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw after 90 minutes before suffering an agonising defeat in a penalty shoot-out.
Maynard admitted that the result was difficult to take, especially considering the dominance his team displayed in the first half. "Disappointed," Maynard began. "I think the first half we probably could have put the game to bed. If we'd have come in at half-time probably three or 4-1 up, I thought it warranted it. The performance from the lads was excellent."
Indeed, Notts County were flying high in the first 45 minutes, playing with a fluidity and intensity that left their League One opponent's struggling to cope. However, as Maynard acknowledged, the challenge was always going to intensify in the second half. "It was always going to be a tricky second half," he said, noting the difficult conditions and the determination of Shrewsbury to respond. "You've got to give credit to them; they've come out and got a goal back."
Shrewsbury’s comeback was sparked by their increased intensity after the break, something Maynard was quick to acknowledge. "I think goals change the game," he explained. "When a goal goes in, it gives them a bit more energy. In the first half, every time they came to press us, we picked them off. Their intensity wasn't quite where it was. Once you get that goal, it gives you the energy to really go after the ball."
Despite the loss, Maynard was proud of his team's overall performance, especially given the calibre of their opponents. "There's loads of positives," he said. "I thought the lads that came into the team from the weekend were excellent. All over the pitch, I think everyone was excellent."
However, the head coach could not hide his frustration at the manner in which Shrewsbury scored their goals, particularly given that two of them resulted from defensive mistakes. "The Curtis [Curtis Edwards] mistake, we take full responsibility for it as a management team," Maynard stated, referring to a costly error by one of his defenders. "We're a possession-based team. He's got it caught under his feet. We want to play. If we didn't play like that in the first half, we wouldn't have potentially gone in 3-1 or 4-1 up at half-time."
Maynard’s commitment to his footballing philosophy remains strong, despite the setback. "We've got to keep being brave and keep wanting the ball, but we've got to learn from it," he said, highlighting the importance of continuing to play in a manner that can consistently win games, even if it means occasionally taking risks. "Curtis will learn from it. That's what you do in football. He's hurting now. He's disappointed. He feels like he's let the team down. But as a management team, we take responsibility for it."
As the match headed to penalties, Maynard admitted that fortune plays a significant role in such scenarios. "It's a lottery. You need luck," he said, reflecting on the tension of the shoot-out. "When their guy hits the bar, and it goes over, you think, 'Has that luck swung the other way?' Even Curtis' penalty, how unlucky is that? It hit his legs and spun the other way. That just normally goes in."
Looking ahead, Maynard emphasised the need for his team to recover quickly and focus on their upcoming fixtures. "They're disappointed, but the game's kind of gone now," he said. "We've got a game on Sunday. We've got to make sure we recover properly this week and then come up with a game plan for Fleetwood at home."
Despite the disappointment, Maynard remains optimistic about the future, buoyed by the resilience and quality his team displayed in the match. "We've shown at Tranmere and here today that we've got that character, that we really want to defend our box, and it will keep us in good stead," he concluded.
As Notts County turn their attention back to the league, the lessons from this rollercoaster of a cup tie will no doubt serve as valuable experience for the battles ahead.
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