Hatswell admits to Oriel Park issues
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Despite fighting back to earn a draw in the Louth derby, Dundalk defender Wayne Hatswell knows that the result could have been different if the hosts had not struggled with the Oriel Park pitch.
The Lilywhites fell behind early on against Drogheda United and they struggled to get their passing game going with the surface proving to be troublesome.
Oriel Park is the only stadium in the Airtricity League with an artificial pitch and it appears that even the home team have not yet gotten used to it.
"I think [our pitch] is our own worst enemy at times," Hatswell admitted to the club's official website.
"When it’s dry it’s very sticky and you can’t pass the ball properly. When I say properly, you can’t pass it with a purpose, because it’s always bobbling everywhere.
"That seems to stifle us. It did last week at Bray, the same happened there with the pitch, and the same seems to be here. It looks decent, but it’s not, to play on. It has to be [watered]."
The Lilywhites fell behind early on against Drogheda United and they struggled to get their passing game going with the surface proving to be troublesome.
Oriel Park is the only stadium in the Airtricity League with an artificial pitch and it appears that even the home team have not yet gotten used to it.
"I think [our pitch] is our own worst enemy at times," Hatswell admitted to the club's official website.
"When it’s dry it’s very sticky and you can’t pass the ball properly. When I say properly, you can’t pass it with a purpose, because it’s always bobbling everywhere.
"That seems to stifle us. It did last week at Bray, the same happened there with the pitch, and the same seems to be here. It looks decent, but it’s not, to play on. It has to be [watered]."
