Russell makes no excuses for defeat

There may have been rugby-induced bumps on the pitch, but UCD manager Martin Russell said that the real reason behind his side's loss to Bohemians on Friday night was one entirely of their own making.

UCD haven't won since the first round of the season, when they beat Drogheda United 1-0 at Hunky Dorys Park, and Russell says that their under-par form since then has been down to a lack of "good attacking play".

"If you don't get shots on goal, if you don't make the 'keeper work hard enough you don't deserve to win" said Russell. "I'm disappointed, and the group are disappointed. They didn't do themselves any justice tonight and I think Bohemians were the better team."

Asked whether he would put the loss down to a bad playing surface, Russell acknowledged that the pitch was a problem saying UCD were "aware of it" and went on to say that they have "asked for it to be improved and there's work being done on it. We feel that we have to move the ball... It's not an excuse for tonight, we didn't deserve to win tonight. I don't want to cover that up."

The blame for the loss was put squarely on his team's shoulders, and Russell said that he was "disappointed, and the group are disappointed. They didn't do themselves any justice tonight and I think Bohemians were the better team. They [Bohemians] deserved to win, they had the better play and they were more effective" continued Russell. "We were not at the races today."

Thomas Boyle and Dean Marshall came on at half time, with the Students 1-0 down, and Russell said that they gave the team some hope. "Going into the second half we felt that possibly [we could come back into the match]." Still, an Anto Flood goal sealed the win for Bohs with ten minutes left, and for Russell the reasons for the loss were simple. "If you don't get shots on goal, if you don't make the 'keeper work hard enough you don't deserve to win."

UCD played with a more standard 4-4-1-1 formation against Bohs, after lining out with two holding midfielders the week before against Dundalk. Russell says that a change in shape is something that his side must look at if they are to start scoring. "You look at everything when you're trying to win. Shots on goal is one of the things you'd look at."

Those two midfielders might be the key to those elusive goal. Robbie Creevy and Paul Corry in the centre are urged to push up the pitch more, says Russell. "They're encouraged [to go forward], they're always encouraged- even in the shape we played in tonight. We just didn't have enough good attacking play tonight. I don't think that was to do with the shape, I think it was more to do with the quality of our passing and movement."

Russell's young side won promotion in 2009 and achieved safety last year in the Premier Division with a strong squad including players like Ciaran Kilduff and Greg Bolger. But their success came at a price, as Russell recognises. "We were a victim of our own success last year [because] the players got noticed and got offered stuff elsewhere. They did well this year, with this group it may take a bit longer."

But how long will College fans have to wait for the current crop of youngsters in the UCD squad to gel? "This group will probably take a bit longer than the last group" says Russell. "It'll take a while. It depends how quickly individuals learn from the games, that's why we keep telling them that it's a great learning place for them. We go to Pats next week, Sligo Rovers then Shamrock Rovers. For the ones that go at it, if they attack it they'll learn. But we have to be patient to a degree as well."