Please don't accuse me of being complacent because the second half at HKR was sheer embarrasment.
However there were mitigating circumstances.First 30mins we were competing,had a lead,and were defending ok.White got injured,McGilvray didn't appear in the second half,presume he was injured.This meant Wilshire and Swain on the wings and Paul was moved to fullback.
I know this doesn't excuse the totally inept 2half performance of dropped balls,missed tackles,ridiculous passes etc,but while we had our starting 13 on we didn't look too bad.
Please don't accuse me of being complacent because the second half at HKR was sheer embarrasment. However there were mitigating circumstances.First 30mins we were competing,had a lead,and were defending ok.White got injured,McGilvray didn't appear in the second half,presume he was injured.This meant Wilshire and Swain on the wings and Paul was moved to fullback. I know this doesn't excuse the totally inept 2half performance of dropped balls,missed tackles,ridiculous passes etc,but while we had our starting 13 on we didn't look too bad.
You certainly looked very fast at the play of the ball and moved it well during that time, in fact i would argue you was probably 2 forward passes of 2 further trys as in both occasions our line was broken and you was in the clear, i know you can argue the forward passes allowed the line to be broken but it was good play. if i was been crictical i would question the poorness of your defence during that period which allowed us 2 very weak trys in terms of defensive play.
Nothing can excuse the second half performance. We gifted Hull KR too much ball; we missed tackles and allowed Dobson to totally dominate every aspect of the game so that we were chasing shadows - and not doing that very well!
However, there was a crucial first half decision that went against us. Hull KR had just scored to make it 8-12 and we kicked off. To all intents and purposes it seemed the ball was going out on the full - and the Hull KR defender clearly thought so as he moved his arms away at the last minute - but the ball bounced in the in-goal area about two inches short of the dead ball line. It was right in front of where we were sitting and was clearly in the field of play but the In-goal touch judge decided the ball had gone out on the full. He was clearly wrong, and home supporters nearby agreed with us, but instead of the ball being dropped out to us Hull KR were awarded a penalty on half way and we had to face three or four sets which led to the third Hull KR try and we never seemed to get back into the game.
Now not for a minute am I suggesting that we would have won if the correct decision had been given, but it's amazing how often teams that are at the wrong end of the table seem to have no luck at all. We were given two penalties throughout the whole of yesterday's game and we seemed to spend too much of the game defending our own line - and as the score shows, not doing it very well.
I thought that we started really well yesterday; the first try was one of the best we've scored this season - but the second half did leave a lot to be desired!!
Well....all i asked for from the the players was somthing to show us they care and want to play for the shirt.......and for 30 odd minutes what what i got.
This isnt ment to be a back slapping "fantasic performance players you did us proud" kind the post, the effort and commitment in the 1st 30 minutes is the REQUIRED STANDARD we expect EVERYWEEK.
We looked better and with Options both inside and outside on both si
des of the field during this time allowing smith and Myler to put some good work in, not brilliant but it was a standard superleague performance by a superleague side.
2nd Half with all the injuries to white and McGilvary and Mcraes tactical bluders before half time causing us to go in level the game had gone.
But every player looked absolutely knackered behind the goal in the 2nd half and as long as the players know that is how they should be every week home and away then ill be happy.
The actual 2nd half well without any kind of cutting edge or speed there was only going to be one winner as we had to resort to Zig zag down the middle with a tired pack.
I think the Football management department may need to have a long hard look at where we are going wrong, id get a phycologist in as this has been a downfall to many a salford side i have watched over the years Mr Simms its over to you, while you have the wallet out paying for a good one id invest in a couple of speedy wingers, dont have to be fantasic just as long as they are quicker than what we have and can catch ill be happy with that.
'when my life is over, the thing which will have given me greatest pride is that I was first to plunge into the sea, swimming freely underwater without any connection to the terrestrial world'
Nothing can excuse the second half performance. We gifted Hull KR too much ball; we missed tackles and allowed Dobson to totally dominate every aspect of the game so that we were chasing shadows - and not doing that very well!
However, there was a crucial first half decision that went against us. Hull KR had just scored to make it 8-12 and we kicked off. To all intents and purposes it seemed the ball was going out on the full - and the Hull KR defender clearly thought so as he moved his arms away at the last minute - but the ball bounced in the in-goal area about two inches short of the dead ball line. It was right in front of where we were sitting and was clearly in the field of play but the In-goal touch judge decided the ball had gone out on the full. He was clearly wrong, and home supporters nearby agreed with us, but instead of the ball being dropped out to us Hull KR were awarded a penalty on half way and we had to face three or four sets which led to the third Hull KR try and we never seemed to get back into the game.
Now not for a minute am I suggesting that we would have won if the correct decision had been given, but it's amazing how often teams that are at the wrong end of the table seem to have no luck at all. We were given two penalties throughout the whole of yesterday's game and we seemed to spend too much of the game defending our own line - and as the score shows, not doing it very well.
I thought that we started really well yesterday; the first try was one of the best we've scored this season - but the second half did leave a lot to be desired!!
swings and roundabouts, your first try was so far forward Dan Marino would have been jealous.
Luck is a combination of preparation and opportunity
Just to avoid confusion Starbug is the username of Steven Pike
SOMEBODY SAID that it couldn’t be done But he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn’t be done, and he did it!