"We are very pleased today. We showed a lot of character and a lot of discipline, in the sense of us being disciplined in the way we didn't lose our shape, which we have worked on.

"I can't really complain about the sending off. I've just watched the video and it did hit Robbie high up on his arm. Leading up to it though there were things we should have done. Nick Colgan's put his hand up and said he should have held on to the ball maybe or should have punched it clear but he has redeemed himself with a fantastic save. We've had everything today, two penalty saves, a bit of incident there in the first half for our penalty where maybe their lad should have been sent off. We just got on with it and I'm very very pleased we are two-nil winners.

"I had a word with Scott Flinders and Nick Colgan and I've just gone for experience. I said towards the end of last season that Scott has had a meteoric rise. I think he was probably forced into playing too many games last season because of the situation we had at the club. His confidence is high and he has done ever so well for England, the reports we've had back are excellent and I'm hoping that this will give him the incentive to push on. He is pushing Nicky all the way for that starting spot. It's good to have healthy competition and he will get games. It was a bit of soul searching but that was my decision to go with a little bit of experience.

"I think Paul Hayes has got everything in a striker. He's got a bit of pace, his control is good, his set-up play is good, his finishing is great. Now, all he's got to do is hone every little bit to make him a really good and complete striker. His goal today was great, the lad was pulling him back, he was off balance and he's still managed to lob the ball into the net. I thought the two strikers worked in tandem very well, especially in the second half with little step-overs and things like that and I think the two of them are going to form a good partnership together. Danny is disappointed to miss the penalty but he is quite strong and he's got over that.

"I thought everyone did their utmost today. I can't single people out because the team as a whole worked and worked until the final whistle. I think last season if we had gone down to ten men like that we might have crumbled a little bit but I think we have shown today that we've got the mental strength to keep the team and the shape together.

"Paul Reid has a problem with his thigh and it was very close to being ok but as I've said before we are not going to push people out there who have little niggly injuries because we have got enough players in the squad to cope with that. We are hopeful that he will be fit for Tuesday but if he has any pain we're not going to risk him."