Brown Hails Timlin After Stevenage Win

Manager Phil Brown hailed the performance of Michael Timlin in the game against Stevenage.

Having drawn the play off first leg tie against them one all, we took the Roots Hall encounter three one, but one man certainly took the headlines and that was Timlin having needed 15 stitches in his forehead following a clash of heads in the first leg, he came through it and produced a magnificent display in the second leg.

Speaking to the press following the match, Brown said.

‘For Michael Timlin to get that goal…dear me! It emphasised the commitment that was shown to try to win the game. We never do things easy at this place – it doesn’t seem that way anyway. I have made some big decisions in my life football-wise and that’s probably the biggest, Michael Timlin to play. On Sunday he went in for that horrific challenge and their captain’s laid out. In the 90th minute here he went into another header with a skullcap on – it was just the bravest performance I’ve seen from an individual in my managerial time.’

With Timlin being out of contract come the summer, Brown went on to say.

‘He’s already been approached by one or two football clubs to leave this place. And did he show that? He didn’t – he showed that he wanted a contract at this football club. And I’ll be knocking at the door of the chairman to get that contract because of the way he’s performed in the last two games.’

Timlin himself was also quoted following the game and he explained that there was no way he was going to miss a game like that.

‘There was just no way I could miss a match like this and what a night it`s proved to be. It just never crossed my mind not to play and whatever it took I was going to be out there and it was worth all the pain. It wasn`t too bad playing in the scull-cap and I`ll be wearing it at Wembley if I have to.’

Echoing the thoughts of Ben Coker when he talked about wondering if it was going to be one of those days with the chances that were being missed, Timlin went on to say.

‘With the chances that kept on just missing I guess you do start to fear it maybe isn`t meant to be but you can`t allow yourself to think like that. You have to keep on going and believe you`re going to get more chances which is what we did. I thought we were the better team and deserved to win but despite the excitement the job is only half done and this will mean nothing unless we beat Wycombe at Wembley now.’

With Timlin having been to Wembley twice before, once with us and previously to that Swindon, he’s hoping it’s a case of third time lucky at the end of May.

‘I`ve been there twice before, once with Southend and once with Swindon but I haven`t played either time. Hopefully it can be a case of third time lucky and we can get the result we all want too.’