Ian Bogie seeks character after Gateshead defeat
Last updated on .From the section Football
Gateshead manager Ian Bogie has challenged his side to respond after Tuesday night's 4-1 Blue Square Bet Premier home hammering by Wrexham.
The defeat sent the Welsh club top of the table at Gateshead's expense.
"Football is about character," Bogie told BBC Newcastle. "And the sign of a decent side, which we think we are, is responding in the right fashion.
"I'm looking forward to Ebbsfleet on Saturday to see who my real players are in the dressing room," he added.
"Only a win on Saturday will eradicate how I feel tonight."
The Tynesiders, now in third, two points behind Wrexham, went into the game without injured centre-halves James Curtis (head) and Ben Clark (hamstring) respectively.
But Bogie has defended Euan Moyes and Chris Carruthers, who deputised in their absence.
"I'm not going to stand here making excuses," he said. "We missed two centre-halves but it's all about having a strong squad, and I believed we had enough on the night.
"We've been punished badly, but it's easy to be critical. We've lost 4-1 and everybody will say Clark and Curtis were missing, so it's the centre-halves' fault.
"That isn't the case. We didn't defend well enough as a team, we didn't look after the ball, and we relied on too many hopeful balls, and never imposed our passing game.
"I've got no complaints with the result. Wrexham were full value."
