Narrow defeats hurting Werribee

WERRIBEE Centrals coach Nick Smith admits last week’s three-point loss to Thomson still stings.

The Centurions have been on the wrong end of some tight results this year, including a draw to Anakie and then a one-point loss to Winchelsea.

But Saturday’s loss to the Tigers proved to be the cruellest, after Thomson ballwinner Daniel Freeman kicked the decider in the dying stages of the Civilex Oval thriller.

“Right now, I just can’t get over the loss,” Smith said.

“It was pretty hard to stomach because we had another 38-minute final quarter where we were trying to hang on and hoping for the final siren to go.

“I want the boys to know that I realise that they are trying hard and that their effort is there but we’re just falling short and not quite getting the results that we deserve.

“I’m certainly aware of how those losses might hurt you later on — sometimes you lose games where you’re outplayed, but what’s painful is we could have been 7-2 right now.

“Although the club stays positive about the progress that we’re making and the opposition compliments the type of footy we’re playing, we were five points away from another three wins.”

Werribee sat equal top of the table after four rounds, but the developing side is now seventh due to a poor 1-3 home record against quality opponents.

“We haven’t really shown our home crowd what we’re capable of doing,” Smith said.

Werribee now hosts ninth-placed Belmont Lions (2-7).