Consistency is key for Alfreton - O'Neill

Russ O'Neill is looking for a level of consistency from his Alfreton Town players between now and the end of the National League North season.
Russ O'NeillRuss O'Neill
Russ O'Neill

The Reds take to the Impact Arena field on Saturday to face FC United of Manchester on the back of a 3-0 loss away to third-placed Kidderminster Harriers.

It was Kidderminster’s 12th consecutive home win in all competitions and came just days after Alfreton overcame another play-off challenger in FC Halifax Town.

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O’Neill, while disappointed with Saturday’s result, wants his Reds players to go on the type of run they have been threatening since he took over the first team reins.

“We’ve been looking for consistency all season, as has been our downfall,” said O’Neill. “Every manager is looking for consistency. Kidderminster have put the results together at home but can’t buy a win away from home.

“Their manager said they play exactly the same way, create exactly the same amount of chances but can’t get that consistency. Every manager in the country at every level is looking for that and we’re no different.”

A James McQuilkin penalty and further goals from Liam Truslove and Tyrell Waite gave Kidderminster a first half lead Alfreton couldn’t recover from at Aggborough Stadium.

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O’Neill said: “We were disappointed with the first half performance. For whatever reason we really didn’t compete. We knew what to expect when you look at Kidderminster, they had already won 11 on the trot at home Saturday made it 12.

“The first thing you have to do is get to ten minutes, then 20 minutes and grow into the game as we did against Halifax and as we did against Chorley in our previous two games. We got to 15 minutes and started to settle into the game.

“We gave a silly goal away and then it lifts them again and we give another one away from a corner so we were disappointed. We changed it a bit at half-time and came out a lot better in the second half. It’s a tough place to go, it really is and we move on.”

Up next for O’Neill’s men is the visit of FC United to North Street (March 18) who have won their last three after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Tamworth at Broadhurst Park.

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“More or less every team in the division is capable of going anywhere and putting two or three results together and that’s what’s so difficult about it. FC are on that roll at the minute and we keep threatening to go on one.

“We get a couple of good results - the Stockport and Brackley results - 88 minutes against Chorley was near enough perfect, Halifax result and you think we’re going to go on a run and then we get beat to Kidderminster.

“If you’re not 100 per cent right on any given day in this division you’ll come unstuck and that’s what happened to us on Saturday so we need to jump straight back on it and see if we can get another result on Saturday,” added O’Neill.