Goalkeeper Jack Atkinson said that he’s always confident in penalty shootouts after his two saves earned FC Halifax Town under 19s a dramatic victory over Hyde United in the youth League Cup.
Atkinson twice saved from the spot, and also scored a penalty of his own, to inspire the young Shaymen to a 7-6 win on penalties after the match finished 1-1 at full-time.
Town’s number one said that he always has belief in his penalty saving ability. “I always have it in the back of my mind that I back myself”, said Atkinson.
“Obviously the last two games have proven that my ability in penalties is alright. I don’t necessarily work on them specifically training, it’s more of a mess around, than an actual session.”
Atkinson claimed he wasn’t particularly worried as he took a penalty of his own, the first of those in sudden death.
“It wasn’t too nervous to be honest,” he continued. It was the side that I go down every time but I was hoping to hit it a bit higher.”
“My bottle went a bit so I went safe but the main thing is that it went in and I sent the keeper the wrong way.”
Atkinson, who has been training with Halifax’s first-team on regular basis this season, feels that coming up against tougher opposition is ideal preparation for the step to the senior squad.
“These are the teams that we want to be playing week in, week out, so it’s good for us ability wise to get used to playing this type of opposition,” Atkinson said.
“Obviously, when you go into men’s football and the league’s get a bit tougher no teams are walk overs whereas in this league there are a couple where we may take our eye off the ball at times and be too relaxed.”
Read more posts by FC Halifax Town
;
