Competition

Date

Saturday 12th December 2009

Collier has no complaints after defeat

By Sam Morshead » Swindon Advertiser

Mark Collier admitted that the better side emerged with the points following Swindon Supermarine’s 1-0 defeat at Merthyr Tydfil in the Southern League on Saturday.

 

Player-manager Garry Shephard’s fourth minute strike was all that separated the sides after the full ninety, and Collier reflected on a tactically astute and disciplined showing from Marine’s hosts.

 

“It was a fair result in the end,” he said. “In the first half we didn’t really look like we had it in us to break them down. “They came out playing four up front, and that threw us a little bit. “Even at set-pieces they would leave their four men upfield, which limited the number of players we could have in the area attacking. “We didn’t want to risk leaving their men up front unmarked. When it’s 0-0 you want to keep it that way and not risk anything, but that made it harder for us to create. “It was a very brave plan to take it on and they got their reward for it.”

 

Shephard was on hand to tap in from close range after Matty Bulman could only parry Tariq Khalil’s effort, and although Bulman later made amends by saving Scott Armitage’s spot-kick in the second period, Collier suggested that his keeper should have done better. “Matty’s disappointed with the nature of their goal and so am I,” he said. “He has only managed to push it back towards their player rather than turning it away from goal and he should have done a bit better. “But it’s not just down to him, we weren’t quite at the races today. “The effort and desire was there but we weren’t dangerous enough going forward, and we’ve only worked the odd chance here and there.”

 

After Wednesday’s dominant performance against Tiverton, Collier’s midfield were well contained by their opponents in South Wales, leaving the Marine boss frustrated. But Collier refused to be down beat about the result. “We’ve told the guys in the dressing room that it may be the end of one good little run but it just means we have to start another one,” he said. “Merthyr are a good side, they’re set up well and they will beat a lot of teams at their ground this season. “We were disappointed that we didn’t come out for the second half as brightly as we would have liked, but it was always going to be a game where the odd goal edged it.”

 

Marine’s struggles going forward meant that opportunities were sparse, with only Ash Edenborough and Steve Cook finding themselves with real goalscoring chances, whilst Nick Stanley’s cross rattled the Merthyr woodwork. “On the day the better side won, we just have to pick ourselves up and go again,” said Collier.

 

From a Merthyr perspective ~ Match Report