Slicker: We Showed Maturity and Resilience Wednesday, 30th Aug 2023 09:46 by Kallum Brisset Goalkeeper Cieran Slicker believes the Blues showed maturity and resilience in their Carabao Cup victory over Reading. The Blues needed penalties to defeat a youthful Royals side at the Select Car Leasing Stadium to book their place in the third round for the first time since 2015. That was despite goals from Cameron Humphreys and Freddie Ladapo, who looked set to send Town through until substitute Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan struck for the hosts late on. Slicker, who was making just his second appearance for the club, was keen to pick out the positives from the performance. “Really good to get through, that’s obviously the goal at the start of the game,” he said. “Two unfortunate goals [conceded], I thought we defended well for the majority of the game. Frustrating ones to concede, especially the first one being so early on. “Resilience is something we speak a lot about at this club and I think we really showed that tonight with the maturity and the mindset after the first goal went in. “It’s easy to drop our heads and almost set off the game but we attacked it, we were aggressive, and it paid off. “It was important to bounce back. After the unbeaten run coming to an end, we’ve shown a real determination overcome that. Sometimes it’s probably tough to do that, especially after being used to winning games and keeping clean sheets. “The boys’ application and attitude in training the days after were second to none, hitting the ground again and not focusing on the last game. “Even when we win it’s the same, it’s focus on the next game and next action. That’s the process that will help us this season. “It was really good to have tonight because Saturday was a frustrating one but it gives us more confidence going into this Saturday which is good.” An all-changed Town got off to the nightmare start as the League One hosts took the lead inside the opening two minutes, when Slicker attempted to deal with a cross that bounced off full debutant Brandon Williams and into the net. “It’s a weird one,” Slicker said of the goal. “It’s one of them where Brandon is coming in at the back post and I’ve tried to throw myself at it, not sure if he’s going to get in front or not. “But them things happen, and then we showed why we are a good team by bouncing back and playing the football we were playing, which resulted in us getting through.” The Blues were 3-1 winners in the eventual shootout, the hosts scoring with just the first of their four penalty kicks.  While two were off target, Slicker saved Charlie Savage’s effort and revealed the secret advantage he had over the former Manchester United midfielder. He said: “I spoke with Reg [goalkeeping coach Rene Gilmartin] a little bit, he didn’t have too much so a lot of it was on my feel. “I know Charlie Savage a little bit, we played a lot of five-a-side in the summer so I’ll take the information from that. But a lot of it is down to feeling and little details that I’m not going to share. “Picking up on little things, even in the game by the way they like to shoot, but not much more to it.” Despite Slicker’s career still being in its infancy, the 20-year-old appears to have adapted to manager Kieran McKenna’s style seamlessly. On his own role in the team, he said: “Of course I try to limit it as a keeper’s job is to concede as few goals as possible. “In the game, as it was tonight, there’s more to that. I try to be aggressive to help the team by sweeping from the back so we can play higher. It’s the modern-day keeper’s job now, it’s a different style to what it was 10/15 years ago. “All I’m trying to do is help the team so that’s the priority. I’m learning from the goalkeeping coach, the manager and picking up whatever they say.”  He added: “It was only little bits on the ball after the goal so it wasn’t too much. The penalty save was obviously nice, even the two misses I’ll take a little bit of credit for with my dances on my line - I was trying to get into the takers’ heads. “Buzzing with it, but more importantly we’re through and hopefully we get a big tie next to challenge ourselves against the best. That was the plan before the game and we’re here now, so that’s good.” The glovesman also highlighted high levels of confidence to be a key asset in maintaining performance levels, particularly for goalkeepers. “I feel like I’m a confident goalkeeper and I try to portray that too,” he said. “Making saves is going to up that as well and makes it even better. “I’ve got the mindset of ‘I’m going to save this’ no matter what and I think that’s helped so far. My last three or four penalties I’ve saved a couple so I’m buzzing.” Town will find out their third round opponents following Wednesday’s televised Doncaster-Everton tie, and Slicker was not afraid to admit he is hoping for a clash with his former employers. He said: “It would be nice to go back home to Manchester to play City at the Etihad. I wouldn’t mind that.” Slicker also has international ambitions and was again called up to the Scotland U21s squad yesterday, of which he qualifies through his Glaswegian father. “Eight caps I’m on now,” he recalled. “It’s always nice to get them call-ups and play for my national team. “It’s exciting because it brings different challenges, it’s good with the club stuff in playing these games but going away is almost a different type of football and adapting to their ways while bringing my style from here. “I love it every time, we’re going to Spain in the next couple of weeks so that’s a massive challenge for us, I can’t wait.”
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