Size doesn't bother Paolo (From Swindon Advertiser)

Size doesn't bother Paolo

6:00am Monday 19th November 2012 in Sport

PAOLO Di Canio stressed that size really doesn’t matter after his centre-back pairing negated Yeovil’s giants to help Swindon Town to a comfortable 4-1 win over Yeovil.

Joe Devera and Darren Ward once again looked utterly dominant at the heart of the Robins’ back four, despite facing regular set-piece duels with Glovers defenders Byron Webster and Dan Burn – who boast a combined height of almost 13 feet.

And at the other end of the field, Ward produced what Di Canio termed a Gary Lineker moment to prod Swindon 3-1 in front just before the break, while 15 minutes earlier Devera was more like John Barnes when he waltzed out of defence before picking out James Collins to stab home Town’s second.

All in all it made for another impressive display by the duo, and their manager was delighted with their contribution to the game.

“If you imagine that we won nearly every challenge in the set plays and we scored goals, we dominated the situation and put them in trouble,” he said.

“We didn’t have nearly any problems with the many free-kicks we conceded to them, with their giants in the box, and it proves that everybody is right when they say the size doesn’t count if you don’t have the determination and the anger.

“Sometimes we concede goals to the opponents that were midgets compared to us because we didn’t focus and have the determination.

“Today there were two very big lads, two main targets for them and one of them is a really aggressive guy and is heavy in the box. We didn’t concede anything to them because we were focused, they have a very high determination.

“It means that sometimes, not every time, the size of the battle doesn’t count but the battle inside yourself does.

“Darren and Joe did a fantastic job. The fact that Darren also scored a goal is an extra. Obviously it was crucial because we were at 2-1 and if you go to half-time and you remain 2-1 that can have a different effect on the players’ brain.

“Darren went in the box very focused, he got the rebound, he scored a goal like the best striker – like Gary Lineker used to do.

“I’m pleased that he plays like this in a defensive moment, but if he scores like this it is an extra that is welcome.”