South Shields must have 'no regrets' after National League North play-off clash with Buxton - Ian Watson
South Shields face Buxton in the National League North play-off semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
Ian Watson has challenged his South Shields players to ensure they have ‘no regrets’ after their National League North play-off semi-final clash with Buxton.
The Mariners narrowly missed out on the league title and automatic promotion into the National League when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers last Saturday as AFC Fylde clinched top spot and a place in non-league football’s top tier. However, there have been positives to Watson and his players after they secured the Mariners highest league finish and set up a home tie in the play-off semi-finals by ending their manager’s first season in charge as runners-up.
Saturday afternoon’s meeting with Buxton provides a significant challenge with the visitors arriving at the 1st Cloud Arena as one of the only sides South Shields have not beaten this season. Watson is aware of what lies in wait and has stressed his players must ‘embrace and attack the game’.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Mariners boss told The Gazette: “For me, there wasn’t too much disappointment with last week and that’s me being totally honest with you. It’s just excitement for Saturday and I think you are involved in this game for these occasions and we have an occasion on Saturday that we didn’t know we were going to have at the start of the season. We just have to embrace it, attack it with everything we have and don’t let it pass us by. That would be my biggest thing. If the game got played and it didn’t look like us, if we turned into a different team and we don’t get a successful result, we would have a lot of regrets there so as long as we turn up, be us and stick together, there’s no regrets no matter what happens.”
Mentality
Much has been made of the mentality shown by South Shields in fixtures throughout a season of progression and the defined style of football implemented by Watson and his coaching staff. Despite the understandable pressure on players on both sides in Saturday’s game, the Mariners boss has insisted his players can not afford to come away from the style and mentality that has taken them to within 180 minutes of a possible promotion into the National League.
He said: “These are different types of games because ultimately, you have to win or else that’s it done. I think we have spoken about what that looks like in terms of the intensity we have to bring and the game management we have to show in certain times. In some games like this, it might not be about the process, it might just be about moments of the game and how we manage it. I don’t want the boys to play with fear or anxiety. I’ve watched so many play-off games and you see players change what they do. We have been successful because the players have played a certain way and their attitude towards the game has been a certain way and I don’t want them to lose that. I want them to be brave and show everyone what a good side they are.”
‘In a good place’
Securing a play-off place on the back of a title bid is a far cry from the situation Watson inherited in the aftermath of his appointment last summer. The Mariners endured a challenging end to last season and ended the campaign sitting in the bottom half of the National League North table. The unquestionable progression and upturn in fortunes has played an integral role in helping Watson prepare mentally for what is sure to be a nervy afternoon at the 1st Cloud Arena.
“There is a lot more growth in this group and I think we have overachieved this season to get to where we are now,” explained the former Gateshead and Carlisle United assistant manager. “I don’t think anyone expected the turnaround but we are definitely in a good place now and I am going into this game with no anxiety and no nerves because I absolutely trust these boys and I know they will give everything for the football club. There is a lot of power in knowing once you empty the tank and give everything, that even if the result doesn’t go your way, that is just football and you can’t do anything about it so I am just excited about what the boys will produce.”
‘A normal week’
Finding a balance between focusing on his side’s preparations and identifying a way to breakdown their opposition has provided Watson and his coaching staff with a ‘normal week’ ahead of Saturday’s game as the Mariners boss insisted there would be no special preparations for the game.
“It just looked like a normal week for us to be honest,” he admitted. “We spoke about us, how we should look, what we need to do and we looked at the previous games and some other previous stuff. It was about how we need to get better and then when we knew it was Buxton, it became about what they offer and what they give us. It’s a normal week because that’s how we prepare anyway.”