Post Mackems: Kinnear

Speaking in the wake of the 1-1 draw at SJP with the Mackems, Joe Kinnear was a suitably p*ssed off operator, saying:

"It was a hell of an afternoon for us. It was a fantastic derby and a fantastic atmosphere for us. The crowd was brilliant and it left me drained by the end. I was really disappointed by the goal that Andy Carroll had chalked off. I don`t know why for the love of me it was taken off us.

Shola bought it down, raced through, smashed it at the keeper who saved it and Andy slotted it home. The flag went up late but I had no idea why it was disallowed.

These things happen and it seems like we`re getting kicked. We stuck in there first half, and were magnificent in the second half. I`m pleased with the second-half performance considering the players we had out.

We`d have loved to have had Joey Barton, Michael Owen and Habib Beye still on board. It would have been game, set and match. At full strength, we would be a force for any team. When you`re not, you`ve got to make sure the people coming in are up for a fight as well.

I`d have put my money on Shola nine times out of 10. He`s a good lad, and a great striker of the ball. I forced him to play a couple of hours before kick-off. He`s been out a long time and hasn`t trained. I just said 'you`ve got to play`. He wasn`t sure he`d get through 90 minutes but he did and we`re delighted."

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