Post by slush on Apr 11, 2007 6:40:18 GMT
Clarke fumes at Stiffs’ sorry show
ER County League Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Reckitts Reserves 3 – 1 Easington Utd Reserves
“DON’T pull any punches with the report; I want them to know how disgusted I am with that performance!” That was the post-match reaction of Reserve team boss John Clarke after his side’s sorry exit from the league cup at Hull University.
A late change of fixture had given the Stiffs an earlier than expected opportunity to ease past a team they’d already beaten twice in the league and claim a place in the semi-finals. The task was simple – repeat the level of performance shown against Old George in the previous round and no team would stop them. Instead, they approached the game in the same manner as they had the previous week against Skidby, they repeated the first half defensive errors committed that day and this time there was no way back.
Clarke could look at the absence of some key names from that George performance as well as the first half injuries that deprived him of Jamie Cousins (18mins) and Craig Foster (38). To his credit, he refused to use any excuses. “The players approached the game in totally the wrong manner. They got out of gaol against Skidby, today they got what they deserved. They’ve passed up a great chance of claiming some silverware this season.”
The locals were staring down the barrel after half-an-hour, by which time they were three down. Darren Dawson, in at centre-half as Clarke reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, conceded the 9th minute penalty from which Reckitts took the lead.
In fairness the manager thought his defender had “got enough of the ball” to have put some doubt on the penalty verdict and there was a suspicion of offside surrounding Reckitts’ second goal just past the quarter-hour mark – although Clarke was more concerned by the lax work in midfield that allowed the hosts such easy possession.
When Rawlings was then beaten by a speculative shot from a seemingly impossible angle just before the half-hour mark, the Stiffs’ cup hopes were buried under the ball as it nestled in the back of their net.
Sub Stuart Campbell was denied by one fine stop before managing to pull a goal back midway through the second half; capping a fine move that had started with Rawlings and progressed via Metcalf and Barnett before reaching him left side of the penalty area, his shot this time giving the keeper no chance. But it was too little too late.
It’s funny how one result can put such a different perspective on things; from what appeared a position of some security in fifth place in the Premier Division, the Stiffs’ ability to lose to opposition as poor as Saturday’s suddenly makes it look rather less so, given the number of teams around them with games in hand. A drastic improvement in attitude and performance is required ahead of this week’s trip to the notoriously difficult sloping pitch that is Manor Garth, home of Skidby Millers.
One bright spot for the manager: the performance of Chris Senior on his long overdue return to action.
Reserves: C Rawlings, D Campbell, B Fisk, D Dawson, A McNaught, A Metcalf, J Cousins (C Senior), M Richardson, C Foster (S Campbell), L Smith, A Barnett (Sub: J Clarke)
ER County League Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Reckitts Reserves 3 – 1 Easington Utd Reserves
“DON’T pull any punches with the report; I want them to know how disgusted I am with that performance!” That was the post-match reaction of Reserve team boss John Clarke after his side’s sorry exit from the league cup at Hull University.
A late change of fixture had given the Stiffs an earlier than expected opportunity to ease past a team they’d already beaten twice in the league and claim a place in the semi-finals. The task was simple – repeat the level of performance shown against Old George in the previous round and no team would stop them. Instead, they approached the game in the same manner as they had the previous week against Skidby, they repeated the first half defensive errors committed that day and this time there was no way back.
Clarke could look at the absence of some key names from that George performance as well as the first half injuries that deprived him of Jamie Cousins (18mins) and Craig Foster (38). To his credit, he refused to use any excuses. “The players approached the game in totally the wrong manner. They got out of gaol against Skidby, today they got what they deserved. They’ve passed up a great chance of claiming some silverware this season.”
The locals were staring down the barrel after half-an-hour, by which time they were three down. Darren Dawson, in at centre-half as Clarke reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, conceded the 9th minute penalty from which Reckitts took the lead.
In fairness the manager thought his defender had “got enough of the ball” to have put some doubt on the penalty verdict and there was a suspicion of offside surrounding Reckitts’ second goal just past the quarter-hour mark – although Clarke was more concerned by the lax work in midfield that allowed the hosts such easy possession.
When Rawlings was then beaten by a speculative shot from a seemingly impossible angle just before the half-hour mark, the Stiffs’ cup hopes were buried under the ball as it nestled in the back of their net.
Sub Stuart Campbell was denied by one fine stop before managing to pull a goal back midway through the second half; capping a fine move that had started with Rawlings and progressed via Metcalf and Barnett before reaching him left side of the penalty area, his shot this time giving the keeper no chance. But it was too little too late.
It’s funny how one result can put such a different perspective on things; from what appeared a position of some security in fifth place in the Premier Division, the Stiffs’ ability to lose to opposition as poor as Saturday’s suddenly makes it look rather less so, given the number of teams around them with games in hand. A drastic improvement in attitude and performance is required ahead of this week’s trip to the notoriously difficult sloping pitch that is Manor Garth, home of Skidby Millers.
One bright spot for the manager: the performance of Chris Senior on his long overdue return to action.
Reserves: C Rawlings, D Campbell, B Fisk, D Dawson, A McNaught, A Metcalf, J Cousins (C Senior), M Richardson, C Foster (S Campbell), L Smith, A Barnett (Sub: J Clarke)