MBU rue lack of attacking options
Vassell Reynolds, head coach of Montego Bay United (MBU), believes the absence of an out-and-out striker was the main reason behind their 3-1 defeat to UWI FC at WesPow Park, in Montego Bay, yesterday. Rochane Smith (20th minute), Javoy Belnavis (77th) and Ryan Miller (85th) were the goalscorers for UWI. Allan Ottey (75th) scored for MBU. MBU went into the game with Odane Nish playing a false nine role as Jourdain Fletcher picked up an injury in the 0-0 draw at Arnett Gardens on Monday night. Fletcher joins striker Dino Williams as key attackers out injured. Reynolds said that the team misses Williams, who he is hoping will make a return soon. He, however, is looking forward to the youth to carry the burden in his absence. “The cutting edge wasn’t there. Clearly, the youngsters we would have liked to carry the bulk of the work without a Dino are not up to that standard as yet, but we just have to continue to work with them and expose them. Each game we expose four or five of the youngsters until Dino is back, so we can solve that situation,” Reynolds said.
HEAVY BURDEN
“Clearly the youngsters that we would have brought in are not making that transition as well as we would have liked. However, we have to continue to give them the chance, as that’s the only way they are going to improve. At this stage of the competition, we can’t put that heavy burden on the older players, so to speak,” he added.
“We are just a few weeks away from the other window and we will just have to look to see in what area we need to strengthen.”
Reynolds, who believes the team played reasonably well despite the result, is disappointed in its inability to finish in front of goal. “Very disappointed with the outcome. I don’t think the result is a true reflection of the game, because I don’t think we played badly. We created a number of opportunities in the first half, but just was not as composed as we would have liked in the final third,” said Reynolds.
“After we got the equaliser to keep up the pressure on them in the second half, we conceded. We are very disappointed in the manner in which we conceded those goals, and the fact that we created so many opportunities and only scored one.”