where it all went wrong

Not a game I’m particularly keen to revisit, but reviewing previous matches is part of the job.

It wasn’t just the loss that left a sour taste — it was the overall performance. Watching the lads week in, week out, I know there’s so much more in them. That’s what makes it frustrating. I’m still trying to pinpoint exactly where it all went wrong.

Credit where it’s due to Alexandra Park. They clearly came with a plan and executed it well. At times it felt like they’d studied us, reading our next move before we’d even made it — even when we switched things up tactically.

Their goalkeeper had a great game, but fair play to ours too. He was kept busy, especially with a backline that, at times, made life harder than it needed to be and invited unnecessary pressure.

Believe it or not, there was a positive in all of this: the VEO stats show we had the majority of possession. Make of that what you will.

Some of the boys were grafting and trying to push us forward, while others struggled with basics — composure, control, and decision-making. Whether that was down to our own poor performance or the opposition doing a job on us is still up for debate.

This defeat felt tougher than last week against AMG Ballerz. Since the beginning of NHFC, we’ve only lost five games out of a hundred and something, so back-to-back losses are a hard pill to swallow — especially knowing both games were there to be won.

Well done to Alexandra Park.

We look forward to crossing paths again.