Defensive sloppiness proving such a pain

INDIVIDUAL errors undoubtedly led to us conceding goals in our last two games.

Obviously, we defend as a team but the two scored by Bury, who beat us 2-0 at Boundary Park, were down to our centre-halves failing to pick up their men from a cross and a set-piece.

And in the 3-1 win against Crewe in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, big Jean-Yves Mvoto suffered a lapse of concentration and the Railwaymen capitalised.

We can bang on at the players, but one thing you simply cannot coach is concentration.

It is pure sloppiness and at times we have been punished.

Alex Cisak’s red card against Bury early on was a bit of a killer, but Paul Gerrard got us off the hook by saving the resultant penalty and it has to be said, the two goals did not come about because of our numerical disadvantage — it isn’t like the Shakers passed us off the pitch.

Our second-half display was very good, we battered them without getting a goal back, and in a way it makes the defensive mistakes even more frustrating because we came back into it, but only after giving ourselves a mountain to climb.

Some of the football we played against Crewe was very good and the goals were quality.

Once again, Shefki Kuqi added to his tally by demonstrating the classic goalscorer’s mentality, and Luca Scapuzzi produced a moment of magic to show what he is capable of.

He and fellow Manchester City loanee Andreas Mancini have settled in well in the dressing room, to be fair, and enjoy a bit of banter with the other lads.

The triumph moved us one step closer to where everyone wants to go — Wembley — and the competition is wide open.

Every team in tomorrow lunchtime's draw can go all the way. There is no clear favourite, especially after the exit of both Sheffield clubs and Huddersfield.

I do not mind who we come up against.

Home advantage would be nice, but an away tie is not the end of the world, as Bradford demonstrated at Sheffield United in the last round.

Tomorrow, npower League Two side Burton Albion visit us in the FA Cup first round and we are all keen to avoid a repeat of last season’s untimely exit at the hands of Accrington Stanley.

We are ready for a tough encounter and do not expect to be as comfortable as we were against Crewe.