We never got going

Aug 27 2007 by Dougie Thomson, Hudd Main

MATT YOUNG admitted Town were well below par against Carlisle and added: “We must put things right at Millwall.”

Andy Ritchie’s side head to South London on Saturday for the first of three successive away trips.

It’s Grimsby in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first round a week tomorrow and Crewe in the league on Saturday, September 8.

Midfielder Young reckons a solid display at The New Den will get Town’s campaign firmly back on track but accepted: “We’ve a few things to work on.”

After the opening league wins over Yeovil and Bournemouth, Saturday’s setback, inflicted by Danny Livesey (34th minute) and Joe Garner (44th) in front of a crowd of 10,022 (1,181 from Carlisle) was a wake-up call.

“We just didn’t get started in the first half,” said Young.

“We were better in the second, and gave it a go, but by then the damage had been done.

“After our opening two wins we had every reason to go into the game full of confidence.

“But we were too slow from the outset and we let them get on top.

“Conceding one was bad enough, but to let them get a second just before half-time was a real blow.

“We came back in very disappointed with ourselves.

“Even so, we knew that if we could get one back, it would be game on, and we were more positive in the second half.

“But we just couldn’t get the breakthrough we needed.”

Young added: “People were saying we’re still seventh in the table, and I suppose six points out of nine is reasonable.

“But we went into the game knowing we had a great chance of making it nine out of nine and possibly being top of the table, so to lose is frustrating.

“It’s put a dampener on things, but if we can go down to Millwall and get a decent result, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t, the situation will start to seem better again.”

While Millwall went down 1-0 at Southend on Saturday, when winger Nicky Bailey scored in the 55th minute, their London rivals Leyton Orient did what Town couldn’t by recording a third win out of three.

The leaders (they now have a two-point advantage on Carlisle) were 2-0 winners at Crewe, where John Melligan scored his first goal thanks to a gaffe by keeper Ben Williams.

Melligan’s misplaced 35th-minute cross caught Williams off his line and he could only palm the ball into the roof of the net.

Adam Boyd wrapped up the win from the spot with five minutes left after Adam Chambers was fouled by Gary Roberts.

Leeds, who started the season on minus 15 points, also have three wins from three after a 2-1 triumph at Nottingham Forest, where 25,237 saw Dennis Wise’s side grab another key late goal, this time by Jermaine Beckford.

Tresor Kandol gave the visitors the perfect start when he turned and fired into the far corner in the 17th minute, but Kris Commons equalised when his free-kick crept in five minutes into the second half.