Defeat deserved but sending off hurt us
BY GEOFF LIGHTFOOT
NOT the best of days for Firwood Waterloo. Their cause was not helped by the loss of Scott Davidson to a red card, forcing the visitors to play with 14 men for a full hour.
Davidson was originally yellow carded for foul play but was seen to have taken a punch to the face unfortunately having complained to the referee this was changed to a red with no action taken against the opposition.
“Of course we weren’t happy with the decision and it certainly disrupted our game plan,” declared head coach Stu Turner.
“Although I don’t think it affected the result as we were rarely in the game due a big and powerful Blackburn pack”.
Indeed the east Lancashire outfit had recruited well over the close season and had drafted in a number of players from higher leagues.
“They had plenty of beef and experience up front and we had difficulty in coping with that”, Turner added.
“However we started well and should have put a number of chances we created away before the sending off. From then on we were really under pressure and although we perhaps deserved a bit more than the penalty from Max Sedgewick we were well beaten”.
Firwood Waterloo now drop from third to fifth in North One West although on 32 points they are still only four points behind second place Douglas with Carlisle on 45 points heading the table and looking increasingly like the team to beat.
This Saturday Firwood Waterloo are at home to Stockport who are third in the table and with just four points between them this is going to be a crucial game for the Blundellsands side.
“This is going to be a very tough fixture for us and one which we cannot really afford to lose if we are to compete at the top end of the table,” Turner stated.
“We have some serious thinking and work to do after last Saturday’s defeat.
“As to selection we will need to wait to see if the disciplinary committee is to meet before Saturday. If they do it is probable we will be without Davidson.
“However irrespective of that we are still well capable of taking this one and getting us back up the table.”