Joshua Offers No Excuses Following Greenbacks Defeat

Rugby Town manager Grant Joshua believes Saturday's defeat at local rivals Bedworth United was a performance after which his players can't hide behind a manager, formation or external issues.

The 3-1 reversal at basement-side Bedworth United represented just a third league win of the season for the hosts’ as Rugby’s winless league run extended to three games.

Joshua admitted his side “missed a huge opportunity to progress up the league” and that the performance “was not worthy of anything.”

“We started well, moved the ball well and got our goal from a well-worked corner,” he said. “Sam has to make it 0–2 when he’s capitalised on their poor back pass – it’s an uphill task for them then. He knows that, but he’s been a stop-gap up front today and did okay.”

Joshua believe that the injury to Greg Tempest in the first half exacerbated the problems for his side: “From the moment Greg goes off, we never really recovered in terms of the role he plays to start our patterns. He just knows where to be when we don’t have the ball.”

Joshua was particularly frustrated with the nature of the goals conceded: “All four goals in the game were from set plays. The goal for 1–1… I’m comfortable saying you won’t see a poorer goal conceded in all non-league games on Saturday. It’s criminal. Someone has wandered into our box unmarked with the ball dead, taken three touches and not been engaged. It’s a lack of organisation, leadership, expecting someone else to do it.”

He felt his side lacked attacking intent after the break, but insisted the game was still there to be taken: “If we defend properly from dead balls the game finishes 1–1. But I didn’t have enough lads willing to compete on set plays today, and Bedworth smelt a weakness.”

“That team on Saturday was more than good enough to get a result against anyone in this league. But when you have almost the whole team well below their normal levels, you won’t beat anybody. These boys have rightly been praised in the last 10 games. But if they drop below those standards, they’ll be judged by the same people who praised them. Consistency wins the day.”

Attention now moves to a critical week: “The next two games are by far the biggest of the season for me,” Joshua said. “Rushden & Diamonds away on a Tuesday – I can’t think of many tougher places to go midweek – and then we host the Derby on Saturday. The players need to show a bit over the next seven days: passion, selflessness, accountability and a return to what worked for us.”

Joshua ended with a clear message: “I’ll be going after a few on Tuesday evening and demanding better, because I know the levels are in there. Let’s hope we get the right reaction.”