Bay manager Nick Gray spoke of frustration and naivety after watching his side go down to a narrow 2-1 defeat at West Auckland on Saturday.
“The key thing is the result and we didn’t get the result, but listen, effort wise commitment wise fitness level wise I thought we were decent. I just thought we were naive at times. We conceded the first goal, a deflected goal that went against us. For me I thought we’d been the better side in the first half and second half we started well but we haven’t been ruthless enough defensively. A free header from 4-5 yards shouldn’t happen. But we’ve kept on going, we’ve changed it. It wasn’t anything about the lads who came off there. It was a heavy pitch and the lads who came on I thought made a difference and that’s what they’re there to do, make an impact.
“I thought we didn’t deserve to get beaten in that game that’s for sure. I know supporters are saying what we need and I know that and I understand that, but the lads do give their all. It’s just that we see their frustrations as well. We’ve just got to try and fine tune things and have a little bit of luck.”
Commenting on Scott Lowery’s red card, the first of three inside 90 seconds late in the game, he said “I thought Scotty getting sent off was down to frustration, that’s pure frustration. Obviously he hasn’t played the last couple of games. He came in, he’s given a poor pass and he’s had a go at the ref but he wasn’t the first person who’s had a go at the ref during the game that’s for sure, and that’s probably why he did say something that other people got away with during the game. Yes there was inconsistency.
“I thought there were more positives than negatives. It’s disappointing but we’ve been too naive in both boxes. Josh Gilchrist’s goal was a great finish. Apart from that I thought Harvey Neary’s strike was the only time we’ve tested the keeper.
“You can’t give teams two goals head start. If we’d scored first there I think we’d have won that 3-0, I really do. The second goal (from a corner) was a really disappointing one to concede. Set pieces, we talk about them and we’ve had ten set pieces and corners. We need to try and be a little bit cleverer. I see the fans’ frustration but its frustration from us as well. We’ve a good group of players in there; they’re a good set of lads. These three games, today and Bishops and Heaton Stan who have got bigger resources than us, we’re competing with them and we’ll see where we are after those games.
“It’s just November, there’s still a long time to go. We haven’t clicked yet but we do need to start clicking. I get that. I look at the squad and the people missing today. I think we’re going the right way. We just have to stay in the mix and then the best time of the season is the second half of the season. That’s when you’ve got to click. Nothing gets won or lost in the first half of the season. We’ll have our skipper back next week. I’m just disappointed for the lads because we’ve put a lot of effort in there but were a bit naive in both boxes.”
