Interview with Ciaren Jones: October 10

Club captain Ciaren Jones has agreed to do regular interviews this season and we first spoke back in August. I thought it was time for a follow up and spoke to Ciaren after the Baldock game.

In his first interview he was optimistic and hopeful for the season and said our priority was to gain promotion and anything else would be failure. He asked supporters to be patient and stated leagues were not won in August. Since the first interview we have played a further 13 games with 7 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats. Of these just 5 were league games with 1 draw and 1 defeat. So how does Ciaren think we are progressing?

He confirmed the club have a targeted points tally each month which would lead to a play-off place and we are on course so far. Looking at the 2 league games we did not win Ciaren felt that the loss of goalkeeper Josh Bowler to injury was the reason Barton got back in the game to get a draw while the Hertford game saw us miss chances and were then caught on the break. The third goal came in injury time when we were chasing the game but small margins cost us when we should have got at least a point from the game.

In the FA Cup games Ciaren thought we played really well. Against Grays we did well to get back in the game with a late equaliser and having scored in the replay we then showed grit and determination to hold on. We played well at Potters Bar and recovered well from conceding 2 sloppy goals. In the replay we were dominant and deserved the win. Ciaren also felt we dominated St Albans and having got the late equaliser were very naive to not just see out the game and concede a heartbreaking last kick of the game winning goal.

However Ciaren had no excuses for the defeat at Biggleswade straight after the St Albans game. He felt we had the wrong mentality and possibly felt a bit complacent expecting to win. But Biggleswade upped their game and we gave a flat performance. Ciaren is certain we will learn from this chastening defeat.

The performances against AFC Dunstable and Hertford were below par but at Marlow Ciaren felt there was a turning point for the season. We got at them early and were in full command for the first half gaining a 4-0 lead. We were attack minded and took our chances which has not always been the case. Even when we were down to 10 men we limited any Marlow chances.

Against Baldock despite squad rotation our mentality was again good and we worked hard. It showed the depth in the squad and there is strong competition for places throughout the team. Ciaren wanted to praise Blue Joy who at just seventeen years of age has come in the team and barely put a foot wrong.

Ciaren again wanted to thank our great support. Away from home support has been incredible with our fans often outnumbering home supporters while at home Ciaren says the players appreciate playing in front of such big crowds. He said the team were determined to score more goals at home to reward the supporters. He still asked supporters to be patient as there are so many league games left to play. We are looking to create some momentum now we are concentrating on league games. It is an interesting stat that when we have scored the first goal in a game we have won all bar one.

Finally Ciaren addressed the style of play. Some supporters feel there is too much sideways and backward passing but Ciaren defended what we are trying to do. We are waiting for the right pass to open a team up and keeping possession helps to tire the opposition players as they chase the ball. Ciaren accepted there are times when we may have been too safe but at training the players have been working hard on how to go forward more quickly and create more chances.

Many thanks to Ciaren for giving up his time for this interview and I did like his positivity.

Roy Izzard