Dino Maamria reflected on a disappointing afternoon at The Lamex Stadium as three first half goals from Notts County stunned Stevenage into submission…
When looking back on what went wrong, Maamria said that the start his side made gave them little chance of any success.
“From the first minute. When we come into the game, we know we have got to make sure we start well in the first 15 minutes. We are playing the team bottom of the league and they are low on confidence. If you go and score a goal, you will probably win the game comfortably.
“Whatever you do, do not give them anything early on. If you give them something to hang on to, they will have something to fight for and that is the story of the day.
“I think the second goal was vital as well To score 15 minutes later from a counter attack, we did not defend well in transition today. It was a really disappointing performance, really flat performance. I think the first goal played a major part in that. Goals change games. I think overall, throughout the season, in vital moments we have not done the right thing. That is why we are where we are.
“Midtable is about right for this squad of players, for us right now. You look back at the season and there have been a lot of moments where we have missed big opportunities. We did not capitalise on them.
“We knew that the top six were playing against each other. We knew a win today would put us back in it.
“Our focus has been our performance, and we did not do that today. It was a poor performance from start to finish. It is the first time this season that I stand here, and did not see any positives.”
Despite the race for a Play-Off spot now looking unlikely, Dino Maamria says that Stevenage have made great strides this season and that the Club are in a great position to push on.
“I do not want to be midtable this time next season. 100%. Regardless of the budget, regardless of where we are. As a manager, I do not want to be a midtable manager. I want to kick on, I want to push on.
“I have told the players that in the next four or five weeks, I have got to be making my mind up. We know we are going to be a League Two team next season so I need to see what I am going to carry with me next season, and what I am going to leave behind.
"It has been a big change this season, and it is very hard to get it straight away. You have got to build and take time. The clubs that get promoted normally take two or three years, I am not intending on taking three years but the first year is learning for all of us.
“The best thing about this season is that, last season when I came in in March, we were looking over our shoulder. This season we have been looking up throughout the season. I think we have been top 10 all season, until last week when we dropped to 11th, and today 12th."
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