New Mills bounce back but make hard work of win over Brocton

Jake Pollard in action for New Mills FC against Brocton.

But he admitted winning when not playing well was the sign of a good team as, with other results, they cut West Didsbury & Chorlton's lead at the top to a single point.

Joe Bevan gave them the perfect early lead, but they were made to sweat before Darren McKnight sealed it at the death with a superb free kick.

“It was important to get straight back to winning ways,” said Birch.

“But it wasn't as straightforward as the result probably suggests. We didn't perform well at all really. It was very laboured.

“In fact I would probably go as far as saying it was one of our worst performances of the season.

“Having said that we should have been three or four up after half an hour. But we didn't take our chances and that gives them a bit of a kick.

“To be fair they then put us under a lot of pressure.

“But the good side is we didn't play well and we won. Last year if we'd not played well we would have got beat.

“So it shows the sign of a good side when you don't play anywhere near your potential and can still get three points. That's a good sign.

“I'd much rather we played well every week and won though!”

He added: “We said before the game we wanted to see a reaction after the Abbey Hey defeat.

“Brocton were down at the bottom but, fair play to them, they came and had a real go.

“And we just didn't perform anywhere near the levels we can do.

“If we had put our chances away and gone in three or four up at half-time – and we had a goal disallowed again for offside and missed two gilt-edged chances – then it would have been an easier afternoon.

“We probably didn't deserve to do that though. It was just one of those days at the office – it happens. It was a bit lacklustre.”

This Saturday Stafford Town are the visitors to Church Lane and Birch said: “It will be another tough game – Stafford Town are around mid-table.

“They had a good result last weekend.

“I am hoping we have two good training sessions this week and now and I will maybe try to get one or two more faces into the squad too.”