Manchester United loanee Willock: ‘Crawley Town were the better side’

Crawley Town FC v Oldham Athletic FC. Matty Willock. Pic Steve Robards SR1903713 SUS-191102-111935001

Matty Willock said that Crawley’s 1-0 loss against MK Dons was a tough one after thinking they were the better team for most of the match.

Kieran Agard scored his 17th goal of the season after a defensive mistake involving Dannie Bulman just before half-time in a tight affair at the Stadium MK.

About the game, Willock, who is currently out on loan at the Reds from Manchester United said: “It’s a difficult one because we are happy with the way we played, I thought we implemented everything the gaffer told us to do.

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“ So it’s disappointing but at the same time, we’re happy, it’s a tough one.”

Big chances came and went for Crawley as they chased the game, with topscorer Ollie Palmer having the best of those chances.

“That’s football, you need to finish your chances when you get them.

“I thought Ollie did well today throughout, he was just unlucky with the finish so yeah, it’s difficult sometimes” said Willock.

“I thought we reacted from that mistake brilliantly in the first half and then from the miss I thought we carried on as well, we reacted again, and we kept going that’s something that the gaffer has been telling us to do.”

Willock, who joined the Reds on January Deadline Day and will remain until the end of the season spoke about the transition into playing in League 2 with Crawley. “I think everyone welcomed me well from the start, so it’s been easy for me to transition.

“I’ve had to wait a little bit to get into the team but I’m happy I’ve got my opportunity now.

“I think League 2, I think Crawley, I think we play good football, we play out from the back, which is something I’m use to coming through at United, so it’s been sort of easy for me to settle into the team because of the way we play and the way the gaffer wants to play.”

Willock has only started twice since joining the club but thinks competition for places is healthy.

“That’s a good thing, everyone’s working hard day in, day out, in training trying to impress the gaffer, everyone’s working hard in the game so that’s a good thing, competition for places and I’m sure the strongest team will go out there and do the business.”

After the weekend’s result, The Reds find themselves in 18th position, nine points clear of the drop zone with 11 games remaining.

The first of those 11 games comes this weekend on Saturday, March 9 at the People’s Pension Stadium against Grimsby Town.

Willock looked forward to the weekend’s game optimistically.

He said: “It’s going to be a difficult game, but I think the way we’re playing, coming to MK and playing so well we have to fancy ourselves 100 per cent.”