Message from Bally

Dear Coxhoe Branch,

We created chances but that elusive goal wouldn't come. We need to improve in the final third, we know that, but I could not fault the players. I have to say the supporters were magnificent, they played a massive part. I said to the players at half time that the fans were positive and they were. The crowd got right behind us.Are we heading in the right direction? I like to think so.
I'll go home happier. Not because of the result, but because of the way we played, there were a lot of good things.
The players have set a benchmark now in terms of how they went about it. They have to repeat it or even push on from it and I know they can.
It's frustration of a different sort this week. They [the players] should be putting the effort in, it's part of their jobs; but when they do put it in you want to see them get a bit of joy.
Unfortunately for us Mr Friedel was not going to let anything in. We have had a go and we just need that bit of quality.
We had started well and the goal was a real kick in the teeth. It could have been prevented.
I don't want to condemn the referee, they have a difficult jobs. Sometimes I will rant and rave against them, but I'll always have respect and understand that they have a tough job.
Today there were decisions made that I thought should have gone the other way. [About the penalty shout] The ref's seen it, he hasn't given it so you get on with it.
Good teams win ugly and Blackburn did that but we pushed them all the way. They got the goal and we didn't.
We deserved something out of the game but sometimes life's a bitch.

All the best,

Kevin Ball