I SUPPOSE the weekend sums up just what football can do for you.

There was despair after Saturday to see us perform so ineptly against Grays and then delight to bounce back to do so well against Tamworth on Monday and get the desired result.

We were desperate for that result after coming unstuck against Grays and the attitude of supporters was significant.

I could understand them having a go at the players during and after the game on Saturday. We were so poor that I find it difficult to argue against the criticism, but they got behind the lads from the first whistle to the last at Tamworth.

There was an incredible following - the numbers who turned up there surprised me. Their mood also surprised me and in the end it does permeate to the players on the pitch.

Tamworth were an awkward side to play against and at every opportunity they would get their big players forward. We had to deal with it and I thought we did so very well.

It was the first real test of character of the season and to bounce back and get the win could be a very significant thing for us.

I'm not sure whether people outside of football realise the despair after a result like that for managers, coaches and, to be fair, for players.

We trained on Sunday morning, just a warm down, and then sat and watched the video. It was accepted that the bottom line was that we did not work hard enough. There were a lot of things discussed but it was agreed that we just did not have enough urgency and there was a determination to put it right.

I was able as a manager, for probably the first time, to consider a number of changes. We made five in the end - a knee injury forced out Tamika Mkandawire and Guy Ipoua had a little bit of a hamstring problem so we felt it was not worth the risk to start him.

The new players responded very well. Wayne Brown made his debut and kept a good goal. He did not have a great deal to do but looked competent and Darren Blewitt came in and looked very steady. Graham Evans also came on towards the end as the third debut-making player and, although he did not have enough time to make much impact, I believe he is capable of scoring goals.

It was a nice situation to be in as a manager that we could make those changes and all in all it was a satisfactory day.