Loss by YoungHeart 'gutless capitulation'

YoungHeart Manawatu captain Adam Cowan rates the dismal 3-0 home loss to Otago on Saturday as worse than the 8-0 drubbing from Wellington two years ago.

Although locked scoreless at the break, YoungHeart was well on top until the second-half capitulation, conceding three goals at Memorial Park to leave them back in the pack alongside Otago.

"It's worse than the 8-0 loss because it was Otago," a disappointed Cowan said. "We just didn't react when they scored, dropped our heads and had no heart."

Cowan said all the players, except midfielder Cory Chettleburgh, who had a strong game and ran all day, needed to look at themselves if NZP YoungHeart wanted to make the playoffs.

"We think we're better than we are, but if we want to win we need to play with the guts Otago did," Cowan said. "They aren't flash, but they play as a team and all work for each other for the entire game – we didn't."

YoungHeart's game plan revolves around holding on to the ball and stringing passes together. Though they did that in the first spell and had enough chances to score four goals, it was as if the panic button was hit when Otago's Nathan Knox scored his first goal in the 47th minute.

"I thought we would come out in the second spell and score a couple of goals in the first 15 minutes and take the win, but we didn't lift our game when they scored," Cowan said.

"We went away from our game plan of holding on to the ball. stringing passes together and waiting until there's an opening before we go forward."

Despite the awful second half, Cowan is confident YoungHeart can lift for next Sunday's crucial home game against Wellington United, which they beat, 4-0, with four Seule Soromon goals in the opening game in Wellington.

"We've usually been able to lift our game when we play the top sides, who tend to want to play like we do, but we will need a big improvement in the head as much as anything," Cowan said.

It didn't help that striker Soromon kept on trying to flick passes on when there was no YoungHeart player ahead of him. Soromon had five shots on target, two of which resulted in outstanding saves from Otago keeper James Waggett.

The defence was put under a lot of pressure when Otago broke with pace in the second spell, with only Chettleburgh getting back to help out.

Raf de Gregorio was particularly disappointing as he appeared to stroll around the park and rarely rushed back to help.

Gregorio does possess a great pass and can change the point of attack with his raking balls. However, unlike last season when he would chase his passes to add support, he rarely has this season.

Match statistics. – YoungHeart Manawatu 0 Otago 3

HT:0-0

Shots on goal: M9 Seule Soromon 5, Nathan Cooksley, Cory Chettleburgh, Campbell Banks, Scott Robson) O8 HT:4-2.

Shots off target: M9 (Soromon 2, Banks, Chettleburgh 2, Adam Cowan 2, Brooke Tozer, Raf de Gregorio) O7 HT:5-5.

Runs into goal area: M3 O7 HT:2-2. Crosses: M16 O15 HT:9-7.

Fouls conceded: M11 O 15 HT:6-8. Corners: M3 O2 HT:1-0. Bookings: 0.

- © Fairfax NZ News