Worcester manager slams woeful first-half performance (From Worcester News)

Worcester manager slams woeful first-half performance

8:00am Monday 28th January 2013 in Sport By Steve Carley, @stevecarleyWN

ON THE CHARGE: Worcester City’s Kyle Patterson looks to make a break against Histon.

MANAGER Carl Heeley praised the impact of Michael Taylor and Matt Birley on Worcester City’s performance against Histon but described the first-half display as “woeful”.

The duo were introduced with City trailing 2-0 at the break and helped get them level at 2-2 before Matthew Waters struck late on.

However, Heeley felt his side ultimately paid the price for an abject first-half showing.

He said: “I thought in the second-half the boys did what they should have done in the first.

“They showed everything that was lacking in that opening 45 minutes and deservedly got themselves back level.

“From that moment they really should have gone on and won the game.

“But the reason we haven’t won the game is not because of the second-half or the late goal, it was the woeful performance and lack of everything in the first-half, we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

“I have to take responsibility because I’ve probably kept faith with one or two players that are clearly having a bad time of it and it’s not working.

“I think that was highlighted in the second-half when Michael Taylor came on and he was the catalyst from the kick-off.

“He closed down and showed more desire in the first three or four seconds than the collective lot in the first-half. He’s champing at the bit and he quite rightly deserves a chance.

“We have also missed Matt Birley because he’s a dynamic player who can pick a crucial pass and that pair gave us the springboard to get back in the game.

“But it was a bit of a sickener when their lad curled one in the top corner late on.”

He added: “We contributed to our own downfall by not really turning up for the first 45 minutes.

“I think once we got to two each there was a little lull in the game for 15 minutes when we lost the initiative slightly.”

Heeley had no qualms with the decision to award Histon a penalty but felt his side should have had two of their own in the second-half.

“If the referee has given that he’s got to give the two on Michael,” the City boss said.

“He got past their skipper and was pulled back, but he was honest and stayed on his feet, and there was another one in the six-yard box that was a penalty all day long.”