More luck needed for Russell's UCD
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
UCD supremo Martin Russell believes in playing the beautiful game in a
certain way and feels that with a little more luck his team would have
garnered more points from their faltering league campaign so far.
Speaking exclusively to Extratime.ie after his team fell to a 2-0 reverse away at Dundalk he was understandably a little crestfallen that his team had again been beaten despite having long periods of possession and conceding in his opinion a dubious penalty at the end of the first half.
“We’re involved in games and then we don’t get the rub of the green, that’s the thing, I think maybe tonight there was a little bit of that as well. We’ve had a go and loads of play and lo and behold they get the goal before half time. I don’t think either player was near the ball and I don’t know if Mick (Leahy) has just got tangled with him (Mark Griffin). I don’t think he was trying to stop him getting the ball, it (the cross) was 50 feet in the air, so we got done there.”
The timing of the goal could not have been better for Ian Foster’s team coming at the end of a first half where the UCD midfield had edged the battle. Martin and his staff then had to try to get his troops back on the front foot for the second half.
“We tried to pick them up for the second half, and we had a go in the second half without creating too many open chances. We were in the game and then right at the end they sneaked another one. I thought it was a pretty even game overall, we’ve given them a game and they’ve done well as well.”
A first half chance was spurned from close range by Robbie Creevy and a second half free from Dean Marshall curled just the wrong side of the upright. If either of those chances had gone in the game could have had a very different outlook, Martin feels his team aren’t too far away from achieving the results that their neat approach play deserve.
“As we said to the lads, the commitment was there tonight we just need that little bit more quality at times to make sure that we get more attacks that lead to final shots on goal and stuff like that. Hopefully they’ll keep taking that on board and are prepared to keep working at their game but you can’t say they haven’t had a go tonight we just lacked a little bit.”
Their previous trip to Louth had seen UCD go down 3-1 at Hunky Dorys Park where certain parallels could be drawn between the two performances. Both times the visitors had more than enough possession but conceded badly timed goals. The only difference being that against Drogheda, UCD had chances galore to put the game to bed. You can’t help feeling that with a more predatory presence in the opposition box all of the lovely approach play would get its reward.
“That was one game where you definitely come away thinking hold on a minute, but the thing is as the old saying goes, to put the ball in the net is the hardest thing at times. That Drogheda game was definitely a case in point where we had a lot of ball without getting the rewards on the night.”
“There have been other games like tonight where we’ve been in it, and we came here earlier on in the season where it was quite similar to tonight. For 45 minutes and we’ve given them a game and just two before half time they’ve gone in buoyant and we go in heads down. You’ve just got to try and pick these young lads up and a lot of them are discovering what it takes to play in the premier, they’re new to it and the plan is that they’ll only benefit from it.”
Next up for UCD is a trip to St Pats which will be no walk in the park, but Martin remains as optimistic as ever. “Pats after the break, tough game, they’re all tough but they’re all open games, they’re all great opportunities for these young lads a chance to put on a pair of boots and go out and show what they can do.”
Speaking exclusively to Extratime.ie after his team fell to a 2-0 reverse away at Dundalk he was understandably a little crestfallen that his team had again been beaten despite having long periods of possession and conceding in his opinion a dubious penalty at the end of the first half.
“We’re involved in games and then we don’t get the rub of the green, that’s the thing, I think maybe tonight there was a little bit of that as well. We’ve had a go and loads of play and lo and behold they get the goal before half time. I don’t think either player was near the ball and I don’t know if Mick (Leahy) has just got tangled with him (Mark Griffin). I don’t think he was trying to stop him getting the ball, it (the cross) was 50 feet in the air, so we got done there.”
The timing of the goal could not have been better for Ian Foster’s team coming at the end of a first half where the UCD midfield had edged the battle. Martin and his staff then had to try to get his troops back on the front foot for the second half.
“We tried to pick them up for the second half, and we had a go in the second half without creating too many open chances. We were in the game and then right at the end they sneaked another one. I thought it was a pretty even game overall, we’ve given them a game and they’ve done well as well.”
A first half chance was spurned from close range by Robbie Creevy and a second half free from Dean Marshall curled just the wrong side of the upright. If either of those chances had gone in the game could have had a very different outlook, Martin feels his team aren’t too far away from achieving the results that their neat approach play deserve.
“As we said to the lads, the commitment was there tonight we just need that little bit more quality at times to make sure that we get more attacks that lead to final shots on goal and stuff like that. Hopefully they’ll keep taking that on board and are prepared to keep working at their game but you can’t say they haven’t had a go tonight we just lacked a little bit.”
Their previous trip to Louth had seen UCD go down 3-1 at Hunky Dorys Park where certain parallels could be drawn between the two performances. Both times the visitors had more than enough possession but conceded badly timed goals. The only difference being that against Drogheda, UCD had chances galore to put the game to bed. You can’t help feeling that with a more predatory presence in the opposition box all of the lovely approach play would get its reward.
“That was one game where you definitely come away thinking hold on a minute, but the thing is as the old saying goes, to put the ball in the net is the hardest thing at times. That Drogheda game was definitely a case in point where we had a lot of ball without getting the rewards on the night.”
“There have been other games like tonight where we’ve been in it, and we came here earlier on in the season where it was quite similar to tonight. For 45 minutes and we’ve given them a game and just two before half time they’ve gone in buoyant and we go in heads down. You’ve just got to try and pick these young lads up and a lot of them are discovering what it takes to play in the premier, they’re new to it and the plan is that they’ll only benefit from it.”
Next up for UCD is a trip to St Pats which will be no walk in the park, but Martin remains as optimistic as ever. “Pats after the break, tough game, they’re all tough but they’re all open games, they’re all great opportunities for these young lads a chance to put on a pair of boots and go out and show what they can do.”
