McDermott Beaming After Opening Day Success

Goals from Luke Shiels and Andre Johnson ensured the Reds started the new season with a win, a combination of excellent defending and sharp attacking play secured the victory and left Reds fans very positive at the final whistle.

McDermott told the club`s press officer Amar Sharma: "It was an excellent performance - a win is a win - I'll take that any day of the season. We knew it would be a tricky game and we didn't really know what they were about.

"We knew they could play and we watched them a few times and they started sharp, they looked very good in the opening stages. But we could have been one up after a minute and that would have rocked them. It's all about taking chances.

"We have to take chances at this level and to be honest we didn't really crank the game up to where we are and it could have been four or five and it should have been. If the players were honest enough and Blyth were honest enough it should have been more but we got two!

"I was very pleased with the defence, if they were ever going to score it would have been a little give and go around the box. But we were narrow enough and they dealt with everything in the box. I want to keep clean sheets and I know that we will get chances to nick goals and we did both on Saturday.

"It's a big win for us but we have to build on it now, it's about how consistent we are and that`s important."

Alfreton head to Boston United tomorrow night looking to build on Saturday's win and McDermott was ready for the test: "We head to Boston tomorrow, they are a physical side and they will aim to bounce back but I want to beat them and I've been told we've never won there and it's a hoodoo that I want to put right.

"We have things to work on but I'm pleased with how we performed and we have the three points and there will be a lot of teams on 0 points heading into tomorrow night so we are in a great place. But I want to put pressure on myself and the players because we want to be successful this year, we go to Boston to win".