WAUCHOPE coach Terry Burn labelled his side’s first-half performance as “lacklustre” after they suffered a 6-0 belting to Port United on Saturday.
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“It was the worst half of football we’ve played all season; it was really, really ugly,” he said.
“We were down 2-0 after four minutes and we just didn’t get out of the blocks.”
Wauchope trailed 5-0 at the break and Burn had his concerns during the warm-up when he suspected his side weren’t “mentally ready”.
“You could see it when they were warming up and I said to them there were 10 guys who didn’t look like they wanted to be there and they paid the price,” he said.
Their second-half performance was much-improved, but the damage had already been done.
“I told them at half-time they had to go out and salvage some pride and play the way that we know we can,” Burn said.
“I didn’t give them a spray because I’m not a big believer in tearing them a new one at half-time, they know when I’m annoyed at how things are going.
“If we played the whole game like we did in the second half, it was anyone’s game, but that’s football.”
PORT United coach Nathan Wade wanted a response from his side and he got it with the win all-but guaranteeing them a position in this year’s finals with three rounds remaining.
Captain Matt Broderick scored four goals, while Matt Bale and Kaleb Langbein also found the back of the net.
Wade said it was a much-improved performance from the week before.
“They were much more willing to go in and win the 50-50 balls so that was good,” he said.
Like last week, United scored within the first minute of play, but there was to be no repeat performance of their sub-par effort against Port Saints.
“We scored within the first minute again and I thought I hope it doesn’t go the same way, but the boys kept putting the ball in,” Wade said.
United went into the match without the services of captain Damien Cross, Jake Pugh and Jack Pilgrim which provided an opportunity for Jyal Tregier and Troy Berecry to make their first grade debuts.
The coach was impressed with the performance of both teenagers.
It’s good with the depth at the club that the younger boys came up and did the job for us.
- Port United coach Nathan Wade
“Jyal is only 15 and Troy is 17 so it was good for them to play and they’ll remember the first game with a win,” he said.
It was the worst half of football we’ve played all season; it was really, really ugly.
- Wauchope coach Terry Burn
“It’s good with the depth at the club that the younger boys came up and did the job for us.”
United face Taree Wildcats on the road next week in a match which could determine fourth position.
“We had to win on Saturday to keep in the five,” Wade said.
“It’s put us into fourth spot on goal difference and we’re only one point off third, so it’s a big game next week against Taree.”
