Caretaker boss Mark on the defeat at Vicarage Road
Huddersfield Town Caretaker Manager Mark Lillis was pleased with his side’s attacking performance at Watford, but lamented the key third goal scored by the hosts with ten men.
Town twice fought back from a goal down through Harry Bunn and Murray Wallace, but a third goal from a corner put the Terriers behind once again – and Town make it a hat-trick of comebacks.
“It was a good game. There were 22 guys having a right go at it to get a result,” Lillis told htafc.com.
“We’re massively disappointed though. We came here with a game-plan and I thought we played magnificently against a really top team that is going to do well this season – they’re up there already. We’re gutted really; I thought we should have got a result today, but we didn’t. We can’t keep saying that though.
“We had the momentum and showed character again to get it to 2-2, but we’re disappointed with the third goal; we have to take more responsibility. We’ll look at the video on Monday and we’ll name names. We have to learn from it. The Championship is cruel as people make you pay for mistakes if you slip up. We went to sleep a little bit and bang, it’ a goal.
“I told the boys that when you’re attacking, you still have to defend. The free header was very poor. You need leaders to organise the side and we didn’t do that. That’s hurting the players.”
Lillis handed a debut to Jack Robinson, but it came at right back with Town depleted in that department.
“It was difficult today as we lost both right backs in Lee Peltier and Tommy Smith. Jack Robinson was schooled at Liverpool and knows his football, so we knew he’d do a job at right back and I thought he was fantastic. It would have been a massive ask to put one of the young lads in against Watford.”
Lillis explained that improving the defence is a job for the training ground, describing Town’s young squad as ‘sponges’ for information:
“These players are coachable – you can’t just write people off. You have to go out onto the training pitch and show them, so they can learn. Good players learn quickly.
“In the last four games, the players have been fantastic for me. We have a good young bunch with desire and they’re willing to learn, which they have to do quickly. We have to believe in the players and they’ll come through this – we still have over 40 games to play.
“We have two weeks to take stock as a Club and see how we’re going to move forward on the managerial front. We’ve had injuries too, so hopefully by the time we get to the Middlesbrough game the Manager – whoever it is – has a full squad to pick from.”
