Martin: Team spirit is amazing
After coming out on top of a seven-goal thriller against Birmingham at St Andrew’s, manager Russell Martin hailed his side’s togetherness to bounce back to winning ways.
In a game that had it all, the hosts took the lead inside two minutes, eventually taking a 2-1 lead into the break despite Adam Armstrong’s initial equaliser.
The real drama came after the restart, however, as goals from David Brooks and Ché Adams gave Saints the lead, before a Dion Sanderson red card seemed to completely swing momentum in favour of the visitors.
However, a Juninho Bacuna leveller from nowhere looked to have stunted Saints’ celebrations, only for substitute Joe Aribo to strike six minutes into additional time and secure a first win in three.
Commenting on a rollercoaster game, Martin was quick to praise the squad’s resolve.
“It shouldn’t be a late goal to win the game with how well played with the ball, but they have so much character, so much togetherness, so much resilience, so much belief in what they’re doing in the group, and we bring on the subs and they have a really good impact which is so nice and they feel everything together.
“That’s been the greatest part of this job so far, to watch them come together and grow and the spirit in the team now is amazing. They have to be vulnerable at times because of the way we play, it’s not easy, it shows big courage, and they have to be willing for it to not always go right, but then to keep doing it and they get through that together amazingly well and again today, so I’m really pleased with them.”
The Saints boss was alarmed by the manner of the three goals conceded, however, and is keen to address an unwanted habit of conceding avoidable goals.
“A bit too much adversity. The negative out the way, I’m annoyed we concede three goals. Three poor goals from our point of view. We have to stop that, we’re making it really difficult for ourselves. And it’s not down to just one thing, they’re really poor goals, we haven’t been cut open at all today really, we looked really strong, but they’re just moments where we’re not there. So we have to sort that out, it’s been too often.
On a more positive note, Martin added: “Then flip it, and I feel the complete opposite about what we did with the ball today. It was amazing some of the stuff we played today.
“Some of the stuff I’m looking forward to watching it back already and then I just have to watch the moments I don’t like through my hands a little bit. We have to sort that out and if we do and get a bit better balance, the last two games with the ball and some of the stuff we’ve done is so incisive, so aggressive and to create the chances we have has been brilliant.”
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