Hemel boss proud overall despite last-day defeat
Lee Allinson says he was disappointed by his Hemel Hempstead Town side’s showing as their National League South season came to an end – but proud of what they’ve achieved overall since his arrival.
The Tudors were beaten 4-1 by Torquay United, but that result wasn’t enough for the Gulls to take the league title as they were narrowly edged out on goal difference by Brackley Town.
That means the play-offs for Torquay, but for Allinson it was time to reflect on the end of the campaign.
He told the club’s media: “It was a very, very good side playing an average side today.
"We were under the cosh for the first 15-20 minutes which we expected but we started to grow before then conceding two quick goals to give them a lift.
"They knew they had to score lots of goals [to overhaul the goal difference] so we knew it would be wave after wave of attacks, and my only disappointment was that we were absolutely abysmal in the final third and very wasteful where a little bit of quality would have caused them problems.
"They could have scored five, six, seven to be honest as it was bodies willing to die for the cause but we were a bit off it and the defeat was disappointing."
Allinson added that despite the final day setback, he was pleased with how things had gone since his arrival.
He said: “We lost the game today but since we’ve come in we’ve won the war – we could have been sitting here today having been relegated and that’s the reality of it, but we’re not – we were safe four or five weeks ago and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved since we came through the door.”
*SPL Division One Central side Berkhamsted were due to host Hadley in the play-off semi-finals on Wednesday night (30th), after this week’s Gazette went to press.
Should they have won that game, they will then be at home to either Flackwell Heath or Barton Rovers in the final on Monday.