Manager Shaun Derry was a happy man after seeing his side secure an important victory at home to Crewe Alexandra...
Notts County Manager was delighted to get three points on the board with a hard-earned 2-1 win over Crewe Alexandra at Meadow Lane, after a difficult run of games in recent weeks.
Derry saw new signing Billy Daniels come off the bench to grab a late winner for Notts on Saturday and admitted after the game that his side needed that boost.
“We’ve not had too many good results here at Meadow Lane, so it’s nice to start the year at home with a win,” he told the media afterwards.
“It was much needed, after the past six or seven games, where we’ve not got a lot of points on the board, to start here and get the winner in the manner that it was.
“It was a fantastic finish from young Billy, it really was a top, top goal from a very good young player that we hope is going to have a long career here.
“He’s a lad who really drifts into the box, he’s not a centre-forward, he’s not a midfielder, he’s just a number 10 and we hadn’t really got one of them up until Billy arrived in, so for him to get that goal, in that manner, it was testament to the belief that we’ve got in him.”
Daniels was one of three new faces to join Notts last week, together with Alefe Santos who arrived on loan the previous Friday, and Derry feels that the club are in a strong position now in terms of bringing young talent through.
“We’re a chance club,” he added. “We’ve got to that stage now where we can give opportunities. We’ve got some fine, experienced pros here who lead the young lads in the right way, so hopefully the blend is right.
“You see it for 95 minutes on a matchday, but throughout the week, that’s where the football club is really developing.”
Subscribers can see the full post-match interview with Shaun Derry on Magpie Player.