Cowan confident Brackley can turn things around after 'tough time'

The Saints have lost four successive matches in the National League.

But Cowan feels there have been positives to take during that barren run, particularly from the 3-2 home defeat to York City last Saturday.

Goals from Morgan Roberts and Michael Nottingham had put the Saints 2-1 up in that match, but they saw their high-flying visitors come back to secure the spoils.

"I thought the lads were excellent in terms of the game strategy," Cowan said. "They implemented it really well and we're just disappointed again because we conceded two poor goals in the first half.

"When you go 2-1 up at home against a team like York, you need to try to capitalise on that.

"We feel a bit aggrieved because we feel like our players got fouled in the build-up to both goals and then we can defend it a bit better so that's disappointing.

"It's also disappointing because we had quite a few chances in the first half to score even more goals.

"We understand that we will concede a lot of possession to York so I thought the lads were brilliant because it might look like we're on the back foot but that's actually where we're at our most dangerous.

"We turned it over really well and for the most part, the lads implemented the game plan really well.

"We were just disappointed to go in at half-time at 2-2 because we'd had most of the chances and really should convert.

"We got a great goal from Morgan and a great header from Notts, but it felt like we should have more.

"The defending should have been better and we feel like the referee could have been better for us twice, which is becoming a bit of a recurring theme, but we've got to be accountable because we've got to defend better.

"In the second half, it was just a couple of big moments.

"The lads worked so hard, they were so committed to the cause and we felt like we were back to our best in terms of doing a job and a half.

"We got a big moment to score but it hits the keeper, comes back out and then we've missed the target with an open goal.

"Then with the quality they've got, Ollie Pearce gets one chance and puts it in the bottom corner.

"It's about what happens in both boxes and it’s about those big moments.

"We feel like we've created enough chances to win the game and certainly to get a draw out of it.

"We can't deny their quality and that they're going to be in the top three of the league this year, but it felt a bit like the Carlisle game because we were really good value and just pipped by a goal."

Brackley's next league game comes at Woking on Saturday before they host Burton Albion in a huge FA Cup second round clash on December 8.

"It's a bit of a season within a season because we had a great start and I'm not sure if the FA Cup has maybe taken our eye off the ball a little bit," Cowan said.

"We've got to the players and told them they need to stay focused on our bread and butter, which is the league.

"We've worked extremely hard as a football club to get here, a lot longer than me getting here.

"But in the two and a half years I've been here, we've dedicated everything to getting to this level and we want to remain.

"It's very early in the season yet and we're going through a bit of a moment where we're having a tough time.

"In the last eight games we've not had the results but I'd say there's only two I'd be particularly disappointed with.

"We certainly feel like we should be at this level and we've reduced York City, who have had 60-odd chances in their past three games and scored 16 goals, to a minimum and we've had chances where we really should have scored.

"For us, it's about big moments in general play at the moment and it's really difficult to take when you don't score.

"At the end of the day, no one's going to feel sorry for us and get the violins out so we need to take stock and be accountable for ourselves.

"We certainly deserved something out of the game and the players have to be ready and finish those chances.

"I'm sure it will come.

"The lads are disappointed but still very buoyant.

"We just know we're going through a season within a season and we need to be better, particularly in front of goal."

Cowan is determined to get his team back on track in the coming weeks.

And he said: "I'm very passionate and committed to what we're doing here, but I'm sure every manager is no different.

"I hope it feeds into the players and we've got a group here who are so fixated and dedicated to the way we want to play, how we're going about things.

"No one ever said this was going to move in straight lines so we've got to keep working hard, keep believing in our own process and when we do stick to that, positives come out of it.

"We're very full of courage and bravery to go and put our best foot forward.”