Crawley Town boss Scott Lindsey hopes his side are playing Barrow at the right when they face off at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday. Along with the Reds, Barrow have been one of the suprise packages in league Two this year. From day one, Barrow have been in the top 10 and exceeded all pre-season expectations – just like Lindsey and his men have done. A goal from former Reds striker Dom Telford separated the sides back in November but Lindsey’s men will be looking to get one over Pete Wild’s side, who have lost their last three games. On the flip side Crawley have won their last three without conceding a goal. Watch Lindsey's full press conference here
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00:00 Scott, thank you for joining us. We're back at home this weekend.
00:02 It's been prepared to take on Barrow.
00:04 Can I get your thoughts on the game first?
00:06 Yeah, another hard game, you know, another one.
00:10 Pete Wilder's done a fantastic job there at Barrow.
00:14 And I think everybody would think at the start of the season
00:18 they'd be surprised if they'd be where they are now.
00:20 So he's done a fantastic job.
00:23 So we know it's going to be a tough game.
00:26 You know, they're defensively really sound.
00:29 They concede very little.
00:31 They don't give up much ground at all.
00:34 So we're going to have to be our very best at the top of the pitch.
00:37 But also they've got some real attacking threats as well, which we know about.
00:39 So, you know, we've done the work this week.
00:42 We're fully focused, fully prepared.
00:45 Another game we're looking forward to.
00:47 But like I say, with these remaining games, no matter who we play,
00:51 we know how important they are and how big they are for us
00:55 because we're in a fantastic position.
00:58 We obviously saw how tough it was at Barrow earlier in the season.
01:02 Obviously, it's a tough place to go, especially out there.
01:04 The fact that we're three unbeaten going into this game with three clean sheets
01:08 must be very pleasing for you to be taken into a team that has proved
01:13 time after time this season that they're going to be hard to break down.
01:15 Yes, we're in a good place at the moment.
01:19 And to be fair, they've had a really good season, like I said,
01:21 but they've actually hit a bit of poor form themselves.
01:24 So hopefully we're catching them at the right time.
01:27 We'll have to wait and see, but we're not bothered about that.
01:31 We're just focusing on what we feel we've got to do in the game.
01:34 We know what their strengths are.
01:35 We know what they do.
01:37 We know how they defend.
01:38 We know where the spaces are.
01:41 And we're going to try and really attack the game aggressively.
01:48 And hopefully we get what we get.
01:50 Obviously, a fantastic result against Accrington.
01:52 You mentioned in the post-match interview there were still a couple of things that you perhaps weren't happy with.
01:56 Have you been able to touch on them in action this week during training?
01:59 Yes, of course.
01:59 We always debrief the last game,
02:02 always, when we look at where we felt that we could improve on.
02:06 And I think it's probably just a matter of both boxes, really.
02:09 I think that when you watch the game back, we actually play quite well.
02:14 We get through the initial press really well,
02:17 but we don't make enough of them moments when we're kind of through.
02:22 So that's one area that I feel we need to improve on.
02:25 And then defensively, just a few little bits and pieces.
02:28 I think Corey made, on reflection, two really good saves, really big saves.
02:34 One was disappointing where it was one ball over the top, where I feel we can deal with that better.
02:39 And the other one was probably a bit of misfortune more than anything,
02:43 where Dejohn's tried clearing the ball.
02:44 It's hit well and it was a pinpoint save where he's tipped it over the bat.
02:48 Apart from that, the other saves that he's made are probably basic saves, really, that he should make.
02:55 So, yes, two big chances for them, really.
02:57 And like I say, one of them was our own man, really.
03:00 Clearing the ball and it hit well, right in the face or wherever it hit him.
03:05 And then Corey had to kind of tip it over from close range.
03:08 But for me, I just want them, I don't want Corey to do any work.
03:13 I want Corey to be redundant on a Saturday.
03:16 That would be better.
03:17 How tough has it been selecting a side for Saturday?
03:20 I'm sure maybe you perhaps haven't even made your decision yet,
03:23 but we've spoken a lot in the last few weeks about how well everybody has performed
03:26 and how there are certain players on the bench that have been making a real impact.
03:30 Has it been tough deciding which ones are going to start the game and perhaps end the game?
03:35 No, I knew what the side was going to be Saturday night for this Saturday.
03:40 And I knew kind of what rotations I wanted to work on for this game.
03:46 So I prepared that pretty much all week in my mind and kind of watching Barra.
03:52 I think it suits what we're going to do.
03:53 So let's hope we get it right.
03:57 Yeah, and obviously we won't talk about that yet, but we've got a few long trips coming up.
04:01 So I suppose there's all that sort of taken into account.
04:03 But how has the squad sort of been doing in the last few weeks in terms of fitness?
04:06 Yeah, all fit pretty much.
04:08 A couple of bumps and bruises.
04:11 Ben Gladwin, obviously still a fair way off,
04:15 but he's actually been out on the grass today training or certainly running.
04:20 So yeah, he's a fair way off yet.
04:24 Number of weeks maybe so, but everybody else is there or thereabouts.
04:29 Yeah, we speak a lot about the fans.
04:31 They can have a big impact as we know coming up in the next couple of weeks.
04:35 You know, we've got some massive home games and some games against opposition
04:40 that are around us in the table that could have a big difference in terms of where we go,
04:44 depending on who wins the game.
04:45 So I suppose the message to them is sort of get behind the boys because it should be a really exciting few weeks.
04:49 Well, yeah, we're going to play every game as if they're Cup Finals.
04:53 We have to in order for us to get to where we want to get to,
04:57 or at least have a chance of that.
04:59 We feel that we've done extremely well.
05:01 We've got ourselves in a really good position and we're going to treat them as Cup Finals now.
05:06 And let's see where it takes us.
05:07 And the message to the fans would be, you know,
05:10 we want them to support us like they're in Cup Finals as well.
05:13 You know, I think that's really important, which I think they do anyway.
05:17 So, you know, long may that continue because I think it's important to us.
05:23 I think they're brilliant home and away.
05:27 And I think it's really helped us this season for sure.
05:29 And I think they can have a big help in these last 13 games.
05:35 Thank you.
05:35 Thank you.
05:37 Scott, yourselves and Barrow are probably two teams who have exceeded expectations most of the season.
05:42 What is it about Barrow specifically do you think has been the secret to their success this year?
05:47 They're really well, really well coached in terms of,
05:51 like they're really well organised, really, really well organised.
05:54 They play, you know, with a lot of numbers behind the ball,
05:58 but they spring forward really quickly.
06:00 So it's very hard to break them down because they've got good numbers behind the ball.
06:03 And but like I say, if they turn the ball over and there's quick transitions,
06:08 you know, they play the ball forward quickly and they arrive quickly, you know.
06:13 They've not conceded loads of goals.
06:17 You know, they've been really solid as a team, not just the back, the back line or the defensive unit,
06:24 but the whole team know how to defend and stop and block.
06:27 They don't really pressure, but they really block up the gaps and the spaces really, really well.
06:34 And they're quite frustrating to watch sometimes, but they're very, very good at it.
06:38 What they do is when they win possession, they attack really quickly and they're good at it.
06:43 And Pete's got them really well drilled and I've been really impressed with them.
06:47 And like I say, I think at the start of the season, I wouldn't have backed them to be,
06:51 as probably nobody would, back them to be where they are in the division.
06:55 And to be fair to Pete, they've been there all season, you know,
06:58 not really dipped out of the top ten.
07:00 I wouldn't have thought, I might be wrong, I don't know, but I don't think from my memory, I don't think they have.
07:04 So he's done great with them, you know, and they're in a little bit of a dip at the moment,
07:10 you know, but everybody does, you know what I mean?
07:13 It's a long season, everybody does and there's nothing wrong with that.
07:17 Let's hope they come out of that dip, but after we play them.
07:20 Yeah, and obviously it's now sort of in your hands a little bit with your game in hand and that.
07:25 If you win the rest of your games, you're in the playoffs effectively.
07:28 I mean, what is the secret to your success this year, do you think?
07:31 How would you put it?
07:32 Well, I think it's always been in our hands, first of all.
07:35 I think it's always been, you know, in our hands.
07:37 It's down to us where, you know, our destination is up to us.
07:42 But the secret, you know, there's no real secret, it's hard work.
07:47 It's really simple, really hard work and hard work from the staff,
07:50 hard work from the players on the training ground.
07:53 The detail that we go in, in terms of how we want our players to stop the opposition,
07:59 but also the detail in the work that we do in terms of how we play.
08:03 And that can only happen through being on the training ground and really concentrating
08:07 and going through this detail with the players so that players understand it.
08:12 I think the message has to be clear.
08:14 I think, you know, that's important that I get the message across to the group really well
08:18 so they're really clear on what I'm asking them to do.
08:21 They've taken a lot of information on board this season.
08:25 And I've got to be honest with you, they've executed pretty much every game plan spot on
08:30 and I can't complain.
08:32 So, yeah, it's just really down to hard work.
08:34 And Harry Ransom, after Saturday's win, said he doesn't know what you expect of him
08:40 in terms of goals, but he said he thinks he should be scoring more.
08:44 Is that something where you think you should be scoring more from, from set-pieces and from your defenders?
08:49 Yeah, we're quite high actually on set-pieces.
08:51 I think we're 4-4-5 in the division for the highest scorers from set-pieces.
08:55 So we've been pleased with that.
08:58 And we're actually the best at defending in the whole division from set-pieces.
09:02 So the work that we do in the background is really important and we do a lot of work on it, let me tell you.
09:07 But yeah, for sure, I'd like to see, and I did say to Harry, be the one that gets the goals from set-pieces.
09:13 Be the one that steps forward and really, you know, really be brave and stick your head on stuff.
09:17 And, you know, sometimes it's hard because the ball doesn't come into the area where you've attacked.
09:22 You know, sometimes it's more luck than anything else.
09:25 I know we work on different movements and we look at, we play it short quite a lot to draw another one out,
09:30 to create a bit more space to put the ball in a different area.
09:34 You know, I know sometimes the fans get frustrated with certain movements we do in short corners,
09:38 but there's a lot of work that's gone in and a lot of research has gone in about why we do it.
09:43 You know, and listen, they don't always work.
09:46 You know, and we don't just want to be a team that slings it in there and hope that we get on the end of it.
09:52 We want to try and manoeuvre people about, we do a lot of work on it.
09:55 But yeah, for sure, I think Harry certainly is somebody that we feel that can score more goals.
10:01 And I have said to him before, be the one that gets, you know, five, six, seven or eight goals a season, you know.
10:06 And then all of a sudden it makes me, it makes me, or it makes it impossible for me to leave him out sort of thing, you know.
10:13 And I know you're someone who likes to focus on crawling down.
10:18 When it's like Tuesday night just gone, you're not playing and there's a load of games around,
10:22 certainly at this time of the season at the business end,
10:24 how much are you watching all those results coming on Tuesday night or is it a night off for you?
10:29 No, not a night off.
10:30 No, I had the results coming in, you know, I didn't, yeah, we just started,
10:34 just had Sky Sports on, like the, you know, the live feed coming in and just watching the results coming through.
10:39 Like, you know, I thought the results were quite kind for us really.
10:42 They were, weren't they?
10:43 Tuesday night, so I was pleased with that.
10:46 I know Walsall kind of leapfrogged us, fair enough, you know,
10:50 but like I say, there's still 13 games to go from our point of view and we just got to focus on what we do.
10:55 Yeah, you said it, I think it was last week, that for some reason or another,
10:58 the teams like Notts County, Wrexham are now starting to drop points.
11:01 I mean, is it just there are teams fighting for their lives against these big teams
11:05 or is it, do you think it's the long season that's paying its toll on these teams?
11:09 Yeah, I think it's probably a mixture of both,
11:11 but I also think that it's the ones that hold their nerve the most that stay in there.
11:15 You know, you've seen obviously Notts County, Wrexham, Harrogate, you know,
11:21 had a brilliant run and they got themselves in there.
11:23 Now they've fallen away a little bit and Barra, another one who's fallen away,
11:28 not fallen away, but they've dropped points just lately.
11:31 You know, and it's about holding your nerve and I believe that with our group,
11:36 that, you know, we've got no right to be there.
11:39 Do you know what I mean?
11:39 That's probably Barra, maybe think that as well, but, you know,
11:42 from our point of view, we've got no right to be there.
11:45 So I don't think it's a case of us holding our nerve.
11:47 It's just a case of us ploughing through these fixtures and getting as many points as we can get
11:51 and let's just see where it does take us.