Midfielder Nicky Adams on getting back to winning ways
Midfielder Nicky Adams confirmed that the squad is in a determined mood following last weekend’s first defeat of the season at Newport but he also admitted that it was a strange feeling to be on the wrong end of a result with the group so used to picking up points through what has been an amazing start to the season.“It was a massive disappointment for everybody,” he said. “You could see that at the end of the game, but it was just one of those days for us really. It wasn’t for the want of trying but it is a shame that our unbeaten run has gone.
“The start to the season we’ve had has been brilliant so all we can do now is move on. I think that’s happened already because training has been excellent and the smiles have been back on faces around the dressing room.
“The gaffer told us he wanted it to be lively and bright this week and he made sure the atmosphere was right, as he has done from the start of the season. We’re all looking forward to Saturday.”
“We have to accept that last Saturday was a day when things just didn’t click,” he continued. “The pitch was terrible, but that can’t be used as an excuse. It’s the same for both teams and all we can say is that our performance in the first half just wasn’t good enough.
“We gave a sloppy goal away and that allowed them to settle into it. Their second goal was a bit of a sucker punch because we were the team on top. They hit us on the break and it was a real sickener, but it’s a minor setback. It’s a long season and there was always going to be a time when we lost a game. It’s down to how we react to it now.”
“The good thing is that we’ve got good characters in the dressing room and the gaffer knows what he wants from us,” he commented. “He’s making sure that nothing has changed preparation wise and it’s been good to see that we don’t have any sulkers in the group.
“That’s important because the games are coming thick and fast and we’ve got to be ready. Saturday is a chance for us to put things right in front of our own fans, which will be good, because they’ve been brilliant for us all season.
“Even when we lost at the weekend they clapped us off the pitch. That’s because they appreciate the effort we’ve put in so we’re all looking to give them plenty more to cheer about. Everything came together for us in the last home game and it’ll be great if we can do that again on Saturday.”
“When it comes down to it, you only get to second place in any division by putting good runs together, so we have to make sure we get on with another one,” he said. “We want to stay in the mix up at the top of the table so there’s no better place to start again than at Brunton Park. It’s been a fortress for us and we intend to keep it that way.
“I know some of the Exeter players and they’re a good side, so it won’t be easy. Results haven’t been going their way but they’ve got a good squad and we’ll be giving them every respect. They’ve picked up most of their points this season away from home so we won’t be taking anything for granted.
“I’ve played with Matty Oakley, he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s typical of the type of player they have. There’s no way they’ll be at that end of the table come the end of the season. Saturday is about us though, and we’ll work hard to get our game plan right so that we can get another good result.”
Speaking about his own unbeaten run, which stretched all the way back to 19 December 2015, he said: “I’m obviously very proud of it. It’s had a lot of coverage over the last few weeks but it hasn’t just been about me. It’s about my team mates as well because they’ve been a huge part of it.
“Going 32 league games unbeaten has been pretty special but it’s not something I thought about too much when I was playing. It’s been and gone so my main job now is to keep doing what I’ve been doing and help my team get points.
“I’m really enjoying my football and that’s because we all get on so well. I take a lot of stick almost every day about loads of things, it just seems to be the way it is, but it’s all good natured. The lads were taking the mickey about the run when it was still going on. They’re now saying I didn’t have the stamina and I was always going to fall at the final hurdle when it came to making it a full year.
“I love all that kind of thing and I tend to give as good as I get. They say all sorts about me that isn’t true but I’ll just take it on the chin. I think it’s important that we can all have a laugh because come Saturday, out on that pitch, we all get on with our jobs and you won’t find a more serious and focused bunch anywhere.”
