Nicky Eaden on the Under-23s 5-3 victory against Watford, and the long awaited return of midfielder Andy Rose...
Nicky Eaden was delighted with a dominant performance during the Under-23s 5-3 victory against a Watford side led by ex-Liverpool star Harry Kewell.
It’s the U23s sixth win on the bounce and takes them two points clear at the top of the Development League South. Five different scorers found the back of the net for the Sky Blues, with the pick of the bunch a 22-yard inch-perfect free-kick from American striker Jack McBean.
Despite not winning by the margin he felt was deserved, Eaden was happy with the overall performance. He said: “I thought we played very well today, particularly in the first half.
“We dominated large periods in the game and in that first 45 there seemed to be only one team in it. I’m not sure they deserved to score three goals, but that’s down to individual errors and that can happen in football.
“I asked them at half-time, could they really apply the pressure because I felt Watford were there for the taking. They had their spells but we controlled the game quite well for the majority of it.”
Andy Rose made his first appearance in a Sky Blue shirt since the knee injury he suffered against Bury back in August, and Eaden believes both he and Callum Maycock controlled the midfield well.
“It was important for Rose to get 90 minutes under his belt and that will only help put him back into contention for first-team selection.
“I thought Maycock did really well in there. He is a ball winning midfielder and one you really miss when he is not available.”
He added: “It is what you do with the ball, we are not the most physical of teams so you have to dominate the ball and create chances. The lads in the midfield do very well to control that aspect.”