No excusing first-half show in Sutton loss

ROCHDALE assistant manager Nick Chadwick was left frustrated after the club’s 1-0 defeat at Sutton United at the weekend.

A first-half goal, direct from a corner, was all that split the sides, with Chadwick left disappointed not to take anything from the game.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Chadwick. “A frustrating second-half in terms of, we had the ball, probed, and try to get a goal back.

“Frustrating in the way we played first-half. I don’t think we can excuse the first-half with how we played. You can’t come to places like that and give teams a goal and expect that you’re going to get something out of the game. There was more honesty and endeavour in the second-half performance, but it wasn’t enough.”

The winning goal saw goalkeeper Richard O’donnell misjudge the flight of the ball.

“I don’t think it is one of those things - we have to be better,” said Chadwick.

“When we first came in, we identified a weakness from defending set pieces and we have improved on that. We’re much more organised and more intent on not conceding from those situations, but that’s creeping back into our performances again and we have to defend that better.

“We knew they would have a threat from set pieces and we spoke to the players about that. We find ourselves 1-0 down in a game where there was hardly a chance in the first-half, and it just gave us a mountain to climb.

“Our performances of late have been honest. We’ve had hard work, a desire and an honesty in our play which has given us a good points return.

“I’m most disappointed that in the first-half, we allowed the game to have no tempo and allowed it to go dead. That was the most frustrating part because we saw today as an opportunity to get something going into a break and set us up nicely going into a tough Christmas period.”