Caretaker boss Steve Thompson gave his reaction to a "nerve-wracking" 4-3 win over Scunthorpe United yesterday. Speaking immediately after the thrilling match at Glanford Park, Thommo answered the following questions:
Qu: Steve what an absolutely fantastic game of football that was. How was it for you on the sidelines?
ST: It was an emotional game and obviously very nerve-wracking, particularly in the last 10 or 15 minutes, when Scunthorpe got their third goal. But I am very pleased with the result. There was some fantastic play going forward but obviously a lot of room for improvement on the defending. That's not just the defenders, that's about defending as a team.
Qu: You made that tactical switch in the opening half with Matt Harrold coming on. He seemed to turn the game for you didn't he?
ST: Yes, I felt we had to do something. We were in a situation where we were 2-0 down and looking like it could be three at that moment. I decided that we needed to get support up with Pablo who was fighting a bit of a lone battle and not managing to do that too well. That was the decision that I made and it's paid off today.
Qu: He got two of the goals in the second half. I presume he is claiming both of them as there was a discussion over whether one of them might have been an own goal?
ST: No, I think it was going in. I think the rules say that if the ball was going in then it stands as your goal and I am pretty sure that ball was going in when he hit it. So I am very pleased for him. Since he has come to the club he has worked so hard in training. He is willing to learn all the time and he has been a vital part in what we have done so far this season, albeit mainly from the bench. He's played a vital part and he is a vital player for this squad and this team.
Qu: And there were signs of a good partnership developing between him and Pablo before Pablo had to come off after his customary hour
ST: Yes, Pablo lasted a little bit longer - it was 70 to 75 minutes today. I thought Matt and Pablo combined very well and gave the Scunthorpe defence plenty of problems.
Qu: You're obviously pleased with the four goals you scored here, but the three you conceded were all close range finishes. Are you a little bit worried about the defending back there?
ST: Yes, again I have got to analyse that on the video. We have conceded seven goals in the last two games and we have to try and put that right, because you can't expect to score four every game. So yes it is something we have got to look at and improve.
Qu: You moved Phil Jevons out to the left and he got a lot more involved in the game then didn't he?
ST: I think Phil Jevons played well on the left, but I think that Phil Jevons has played well in the last four or five games. I am very pleased with his form.
Qu: It's interesting to note the amount of tackles that he wins. He seems to have the brains to read the game.
ST: Definitely. He can make a tackle. He is a decent tackler of the ball. He also sometimes finds a little more space in midfield. Sometimes up front space is at a minimum and when he gets that space we know how dangerous he is with his shooting as he showed for that second goal. If he finds a yard of space, he'll put that in the top corner and Phil Jevons is very important to us at Yeovil Town and playing very well at the moment. He is obviously a big reason why we won the game.
Qu: Pablo did well - he seemed to come short often and take up that space so well.
ST: As I've said before, Pablo is new to the English game. He has come over for only two months from Argentina. They play a very different game over there and he is learning all the time. His performance today was good. We are still looking to get more out of Pablo and anything we can do - whether it's fitness or training - will only benefit Yeovil Town because he has got a lot of ability.
Qu: Midfield-wise is one of your fears that they do tend to over-commit a little bit too much and that when it breaks down you get caught?
ST: That is something that we have to take stock of and it is something that we were accused of last season. But one of the reasons why we scored 92 goals is because we have got midfielders that like to get forward. As a coach it's all about me finding the best balance with all of that. Obviously conceding seven goals (in the last two games) is a concern, but I am so pleased that we have scored four goals today. We have got players who can score goals. I will have to look at the defensive situation and frailties. But as I've said, and I'll say it again, it's not about the defence - it's how we defend as a team.
Qu: What was going through your mind in the final minutes today? The goal that was disallowed, the shot that hit the crossbar. It was a mad last five minutes or so.
ST: When the goal went in, I was the last person to see the offside, so that was complete frustration. When the ball hit the bar, it was complete relief, and when the final whistle went, it was complete relief as well. Those were my feelings - frustration until I realised that the goal had been disallowed. I was the last one as I threw my programme and notes down on the floor. Thankfully the boys on the bench didn't leave me dangling - they told me it was offside straight away. In the end it was complete relief, though we do have to defend better - that's for sure.
Qu: You've got a free week now. That gives you a whole week to work on a number of things such as Pablo's fitness.
ST: Yes, we have got a free week and that gives me a chance to work on a number of things. With fitness, maybe with Pablo it might be that we will do a bit of work on that. But I think in the first part of the week we can get a lot of work done, whether that is tactical in the defensive aspect or whether that might be physical.
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2 October 2005 : 
