Ian Holloway was delighted with Swindon Town’s response after the break to earn a 2-2 draw at Accrington Stanley.
Harry Smith’s header had Swindon ahead in the early stages but Accrington had the better of the opening 45 minutes as were deservedly ahead through two goals from defenders in Sonny Aljofree and Farrend Rawson.
With Swindon seemingly in trouble as a fellow struggler was getting three points further ahead of them, Danny Butterworth came up with a huge moment as he cut a path through the Accrington defence to equalise.
Holloway said that he wanted much more from his side in the first half and was frustrated with his group and let them know it.
He said: “What I have learned is that we didn’t compete well enough in the first half; they were very competitive and they got on us and turned us and we lost so many first headers – it was horrifying.
“I let them have it at half time, the team that I had picked, I thought we would be good enough to get at them and play around them because they man mark you everywhere.
“We just lost the first contact everywhere and it wasn’t good enough, so unfortunately I had to take [Sean] McGurk off as it wasn’t the right game for him.
“I almost had to put Smith in the back three to win some headers because he was winning his headers but it is about encouraging then to win their headers but we don’t say anything.
“So, I have absolutely ripped them, ripped their ears off, ripped their face off and told them how I feel and they have seen my teeth today because that wasn’t good enough and then in the second half it was.”
Holloway was especially pleased with how his team responded to that criticism and showed him the improvement he wanted to see.
He said: “You can’t lose than many headers and we were lucky to hang on but what a reaction in the second half.
“It was a wonderful goal, an exciting game, and I tried to win it.
“I am sure that our fans left seeing that I was trying to win the game and that is what we have got to do, we have to win more games.
“The changes that we made came on with the right heart and the right spirit, they weren’t sulking and in the end it was a good performance.
“I am much happier with it in the end than I was at half time and I felt we could have won it with the two chances that [Paul] Glatzel had, normally he would score those.
“There were so many great examples of people being committed to the cause and what a goal – The Swindon Messi, that is what the lads are calling him [Butterworth] in there.
“It warmed my heart because he deserved it and I don’t know how many players he beat there.
“We have loads of skill and you need to balance that with the will.”
