Macleay Valley Rangers coach Simon Tamblyn will want a quick response from his team in Sunday’s Coastal Premier League trip to Ayrshire Park.
Tamblyn was damning of his assessment following Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to Northern Storm last weekend.
He said his team were ordinary and lacked structure.
“That’s my biggest bug-bear … we can’t keep the same shape right the way through the game – even the games we have won we dropped out of shape,” he said.
“I was thinking by the middle of the season we’d be able to maintain it for a full game, but that’s a dream at the moment.
“They’ve got ability, I think it’s just discipline and concentration to make it last the whole game.
“We played Port Saints and they knew they had to work hard because they had good players against them so they did that and then the next game they’re drifting off their man.”
The coach knows the scoreline could get ugly at Boambee if history repeats and his side play as individuals.
“Maintaining shape is our problem, but it’s up to the players and they have to take the initiative and stay in that shape for the game,” he said.
“You try not to yell from the sideline because it doesn’t seem to do any good and I think they’ll turn up this weekend because if they don’t it’s going to get ugly.”
Boambee coach Adrian Pickup was wary of a Rangers side desperate to bounce back and find some form.
He still knows, however, that his side aren’t anywhere near their best.
“Macleay have got some good players so we’re hoping our form goes for 90 minutes and not half a game,” he said.
“We’ve got the players to do it, but we’re solely getting better although not as good as we’d like to be yet.”
Pickup was expecting a physical contest although the Bombers will need to shut down Macleay Valley’s fast transition from defence to attack.
“We’re expecting physicality but knowing some of the younger players they have there are some good fotballers there,” he said.
“We’ve got to be careful with their transition and get our defence in order because it’s that unknown quantity. They’re a little different than last year.”
In other matches, Port United host Taree Wildcats, Northern Storm host Sawtell and Coffs Coast Tigers play Coffs City United in the Coffs Harbour derby.
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