Allinson pleased by Hemel fightback in away victory
Lee Allinson praised his Hemel Hempstead Town side’s second-half display as they won 3-1 at Tonbridge Angels on Saturday.
The Tudors were a goal down at half-time but second-half strikes from Finley Wilkinson, Millar Matthews-Lewis and Isaiah Noel-Williams turned the game around and left Hemel sixth in the table ahead of the visit of third-placed Hornchurch on Tuesday night, after this week’s Gazette went to press.
And Allinson felt it was a good response to a poor first-half.
He told the club’s media: “I thought the first-half was very ponderous. We were in the game and even after we went behind I thought we controlled the half without hurting them at all – no crosses in the box, very sideways, backwards – and we spoke at half-time about getting down the sides of them and causing more problems.
"I think we were then just too strong for them in the second-half. We were brilliant, were front footed and had the bit between our teeth.
"It’s just trying to relay to the players that they’re in a great place. There’s absolutely no pressure on us whatsoever to get in the play-offs or anything else, our aim is to make sure we’re in this league next year, so we’ve got to go and enjoy these moments and play with a freedom and desire to go and win football matches.
"I thought in the second-half we did that and were very good. I’m delighted for Finley Wilkinson who deserved that goal as he’s been on the bench for a long time but hasn’t knocked on the door, he’s just gone away and worked really hard and did really well today.
"When we’re front-footed and move the ball quickly and have our full-backs joining in and the wide boys creating overloads, we’re very good and I’m really pleased for Millar as well as he’s found himself out of the side in the last couple of games just to protect him which you have to do sometimes, but he was raring to go.”
After the game with Hornchurch, Hemel then go to Salisbury on Saturday.