From the Skipper

THE CAPTAIN JOSH FALKINGHAM

I THINK TO GET THE THREE POINTS against Bradford on Saturday just shows how far we’ve come. In both games against them, we’ve not only competed with them in the same league but actually turned them over twice. For everybody who watched and for the fans, the derby win was for them. As players, we know what derby’s mean and we’ve had big local games in the past against York and Hartlepool but Bradford, as close as they are and the size of their club, it’s a huge win. To take six points against them this season and to secure safety, it was a really good feeling and the changing room was buzzing afterwards. We were really happy for Josh McPake to get the winner. He’s a young kid and come a long way from home so I know what it’s like. Sometimes he’s found it difficult but the talent he’s got, he showed it against Bradford and he deserved it. You find out about yourself during loan moves and especially in these times, it’s not easy for young players not being able to socialise and enjoy it. He and the other lads have been stuck in a hotel not being able to do much. But what he produced to win us the game, in a Yorkshire derby, it means everything. We’re obviously really pleased that Josh hasn’t just been good in games but he’s affected them in a positive way. I hope he can kick on from that and it’s totally up to him for where his career takes him. It’s from within and when he produces things like that, it’s a nice reward and it’s what we needed.

We face Oldham this evening and we’ve got to go into the game using the momentum for the derby win and build on it. The lads were brilliant last time against Oldham and played some really good football. That was another big win against another big, well established Football League club. We have to take the confidence into Tuesday and hopefully make it back to back wins. I’ll keep saying it, we want to finish the season strongly. We’ve got Wembley to come and we want to finish on a massive high and celebrate properly.