Roma finds the positives from home defeat

Trinity conceded two late goals in the 2-0 loss to Chorley.

However, Roma was keen to emphasis the positives as his players more than matched the third-placed side in the Vanarama National League North for the majority of a physical, feisty encounter.

“Obviously I’m disappointed to lose the game of football, but I was a lot more satisfied with how we defended for long periods of the game,” he said.

“We more than matched the team sitting third in the league for long spells, but we have just switched off for a moment and been punished.

‘Chorley don’t concede many and for 70 minutes it was two sides that cancelled each other out.

“But as we have tried to add a little bit more of a threat in the second half, we have been caught out.”

The game was notable for a melee involving all the players after a challenge by Chorley full back Adam Blakeman on Jordan Thewlis that left home fans calling for a red card.

“I don’t want to be one of those managers who come out and blame referees every week,” Roma said.

“But he got that one wrong, especially after he booked Matty (Wilson) earlier for what in fairness was an innocuous challenge. Maybe if they had gone down to ten men it would have been a different game — but we can’t dwell on that.

“It’s small margins. If they had gone our way, we perhaps could have got a point, but we will regroup as the games are coming thick and fast.

“They are a tight-knit bunch of lads — and that was demonstrated with how they wanted to look after one of their mates. When a player is hacked down like that, you just want to protect them. I’ve done it myself as a player.”