Boss thrilled with 4-1 victory
Town boss Paul Buckle was thoroughly delighted to see his side beat Macclesfield and with it earn their first home victory of the season.
Goals from Jake Howells, Andre Gray, Scott Rendell and Stuart Fleetwood saw off the Silkmen and the Hatters boss paid tribute to his side’s determination after weathering a second-half fight-back from the visitors.
“I was delighted with our response to Macclesfield pulling a goal back,” Buckle told Hatters Player afterwards. “We couldn’t afford to be afraid, we made the right change at the right time, and kept encouraging the lads and in the end I was thrilled with our composure to march on and win.
“I’ve got a bit of croaky voice after shouting at the players in the second half because our start to the second half was the opposite to how we started the first.
“We were on the front foot and a 2-0 we were off and away with a flying start. But in the second half we were slow out of the taps and we paid the price.
“However to overcome the edginess and nervousness I’m thoroughly pleased with the all around performance.”
The boss went with a 3-4-3 formation using centre-half trio Dean Beckwith and Lathaniel Rowe-Turner alongside the returning Janos Kovacs.
“I decided to freshen it up,” Buckle said. “It worked two ways. One to make the players relaxed and second to combat Macclesfield’s threat.
“We knew they’d come at us so when they came forward we were able to pick them off on the counter and it worked a treat.
“On another day, especially in the first half, we could have scored a couple more but the thing is we’ve still got lots to work on.”
And, after Macclesfield’s equaliser, that includes set-pieces.
“We’re there, we’re in the right place and it’s not even a free header,” the boss said, shaking his head in disappointment. “We need to be brave and a bit nasty in those situations – it’s a fine line.
“We need to understand that set-pieces are a major part of our opponents’ plan when they come here.
“We’re also giving away silly free-kicks and we must cut that out.”
But all in all Buckle was happy to end a week with another victory in the bag.
“If we get on the front foot and score an early goal it makes it so much more easier for us,” he said. “We know that we can’t panic. And we didn’t after the Telford result.
“This week we’ve won six points and now we must march on from this.”