Jamshedpur FC head coach Aidy Boothroyd was pleased with his side’s performance in the 2-2 draw against FC Goa in matchweek 12 of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) match at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, in Jamshedpur, on Thursday. 

The Red Miners were minutes away from securing their second win of the season but Iker Guarrotxena’s late equaliser helped FC Goa snatch a late point at the Furnace. 

The point helped Jamshedpur FC snap their losing streak but Boothroyd believed his side could have got more than what they eventually ended up with. 

The Englishman was full of prise for his players and backed them to come good in the remainder of the season. He addressed the media after the match.

Here are the excerpts from his post-match press-conference:

What are your thoughts on the game? 

It was a very good game from a neutral point of view. We were really good in the first half. We were by far the better team. We got the goal and worked hard to get the second one. I thought we got tired towards the end of the game, which is going to happen when we have players returning from injuries. We broke the losing cycle. Upwards and onwards from here. 

You made changes in the formation and personnel. What were your thoughts on that?

Tactically, we tried to give them different problems. People talk about them being a good football team but they have players who can run behind, so they are a very good overall team. In the last match against FC Goa, we were 2-0 down very early and it was part of our game plan to be on the front foot and be the team that creates the chances in the early part of the match. The first fifteen minutes were a stark contrast to the last time we met. Hopefully, it means we are improving. 

What are your thoughts on Ishan Pandita's performance?

Ishan Pandita doesn't want to be the super sub anymore. He wants to be a player that wants to start and does well. I have given him an opportunity. He knows what we have to do for the team. He is a brilliant runner and he will score goals, the more he plays. The goal he scored was an opportunistic's goal but I'm sure there will be plenty more. I am really pleased with him and every player, particularly the younger players that came in. It was an excellent experience for them to be on the pitch and be the best players. 

Did defensive lapses cost you or were FC Goa too strong in the end?

I think it was because we worked really hard in the game to get an upper hand and to get momentum and it swung back the longer the game went. We were tired. The players are really disappointed with the result. But looking at the performance, if we take the two errors out which were avoidable errors, we are in the right direction. Overall, really pleased with the individuals in the team.