Following the Blues’ win against Morecambe, we spoke to Head Coach Mark Hughes.
Speaking to CUTV after the game, Hughes reflected on an important three points to round off 2025, analysed his side’s tactical adjustments, praised key performances across the pitch and looked ahead to Saturday’s home fixture against Wealdstone.
Here is everything we learnt:
1. A crucial three points to end the year
“It’s a good result. The result’s really important for us given where we are in the league and the teams around us. To get another three points on the back of a good win against Gateshead is very pleasing.”
2. Morecambe’s quality tested the Blues
“They’re a good side. I think people underestimate the quality of the team we were up against tonight. They get the ball down, hide it from you and play their patterns. They didn’t really create a great deal, but people can get anxious when the opposition has more possession.”
3. Belief in taking control of the contest
“We were never in any doubt that once we got into the game we would take it away from them. We scored a great goal right at the end of the first-half and that gave us something to build on.”
4. Tactical tweak proved decisive
“We wanted to press them in a certain way and it didn’t quite work for us in the first half. So we changed the structure of the team a little bit and that helped. We got more bodies around the ball, locked people in better and had a lot more domination of the football in the second-half.”
5. Luke Armstrong leading the press
“You’ve got to get it right and usually it’s Luke who instigates it because of his energy and his ability to close people down. We got the timing slightly wrong in the first-half, but we addressed that and it wasn’t a problem in the second.”
6. Conditions and first-half patience
“It was a little bit difficult with the conditions and the cold, but I don’t think it affected the game too much. In the first-half we were guilty of playing in front of them at times. We talked about turning them around, making them defend their own goal, and when we did that we were able to capitalise.”
7. A well-worked goal and striker’s finish
“Jack Ellis played it out to Regan [Linney] on the left, he put a really good ball in and Luke was where he needed to be. Regan will always cause problems in that area and it was a great ball across the six-yard box and a great striker’s finish.”
8. Praise for Armstrong’s consistency and form
“I thought Luke was excellent tonight. He gives you everything every time he plays. Strikers are judged by goals and now he’s getting the reward for the effort he puts in. When he’s coming into form, which he undoubtedly is, he’ll add goals to that work rate.”
9. Clean sheet, fitness updates and looking ahead
“It’s great for Gabe to get a clean sheet on his birthday, especially as he was a doubt before the game. We’ve had illness running through the club for a couple of weeks and it hasn’t been easy. We’ve now got back-to-back clean sheets, including the 3-0 win at the weekend, which is pleasing. We just need to keep going, build on it and take that momentum into Saturday.”
