’Seas coach laments final-quarter fade-out
ANGLESEA coach Paul Carson is confident his side can move on from Saturday’s crushing qualifying final loss to Modewarre.
The ‘Seas were hammered in the final term, losing touch with the Warriors after a tense three-quarter arm wrestle to eventually lose by 25 points.
The result condemns Carson’s men to an elimination final.
“It was like a switch got flicked in the first contest after three-quarter time,” Carson said.
“We looked off the pace straight away. That’s what’s strange. That game was up for grabs, it was there to be won, we were right in it, but we didn’t respond.
“The boys didn’t give up, but we just looked a yard off it in the end. I don’t think it’s fitness, I just think it’s mindset.”
Lamenting a final-quarter fade-out, Carson admitted his charges had opportunities to put Modewarre to the sword in the second term, but were wasteful.
“That’s why it’s so disappointing,” Carson said.
“It was a game of ebbs and flows and momentum, it was tough conditions, but we felt we had enough of the footy.
“We got out to three goals in front at one point and we needed to be four or five goals in front to give us a nice little buffer at three-quarter time.
“Instead, we conceded three goals pretty quickly and came into the break a draw. You’ve got to take your opportunities and we probably didn’t do that today. It came back and bit us on the backside.”
Modewarre dominated the midfield battle, with Josh Finch inspirational when it mattered most.
“In that last quarter we got dominated in the midfield, they killed us in there again, and when that happens it makes it really hard,” Carson said.
“They got on top and the rest took care of itself.”
Now forced to take the long road to the grand final, Carson urged his charges to forget about the loss and focus on the next opportunity.
“We addressed it in here (changerooms) and we’ve got to lick our wounds pretty quickly,” Carson said.
“We’ll try and work on things on Tuesday and