We have lost our opening match of the 2014/15 ASB Premiership season, giving up a headed goal from a set piece in each half to lose 2-0 in Christchurch to Canterbury United.
Despite the result, we matched up well with the hosts, with the only difference being our inability to take advantage of several good goal scoring opportunities. This was particularly evident at the start of the second half.
Head coach, Pete Smith, was pleased with his side’s efforts, but frustrated with the goals conceded. “We needed to be better defensively on set pieces. To give up a couple of goals like that is not really what I’m looking for,” he said after the match when describing the strikes from Canterbury’s Tom Schwarz and Dylan Stansfield.
The goals aside, we put up a good showing in our first outing and certainly played a full part in an entertaining match. “We created some good chances but just lacked anything resembling a cutting edge today,” explained Smith. “I don’t know if we’re underdone or not, but that’s largely irrelevant. The league started today and we’ve just been given a reasonably harsh lesson.”
Smith was pleased with the performance, however, and mentioned the efforts of several of his players. “Chad [Coombes] worked tirelessly for us in midfield today and big Sam [O’Regan] put in a good showing on debut at this level,” said Smith. “And, as always, Azza [Aaron Scott] was outstanding.”
In a stop-start beginning to the season, we have next weekend off before heading to the capital in a fortnight for a tough one against Team Wellington.
