Ton battle to beat the drop

Published 14 Apr 2010 17:18 0 Comments

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BATTLING HARD: Despite matching Dalry for much of the match, Neilston went down to a late goal. Photograph by Joe Mulgrew

By Matthew Harold - Neilston 0 Dalry Thistle 1

NEILSTON boss Bobby Crilly admitted his side face an uphill struggle to beat the drop after they suffered a devastating defeat on Saturday.

The Farmer's Boys conceded a 93rd minute goal against Dalry, which leaves them eight points from safety and five points away from second bottom Kilsyth Rangers.

Neilston weren't helped by the fact that striker Charlie Hobbs had to leave the field early on after picking up an injury.

Crilly said: "It's very difficult to survive now and it's probably 80/20 that we're not going to survive.

"We lost Charlie Hobbs early doors which was disappointing.

"We were poor the whole game, we weren't up for it to be honest.

"We probably didn't deserve to lose it though because I thought we were the better team in the second half.

"There were too many people who didn't do what they are good at and we didn't get the quality.

"We had five or six occasions in the second half where a wee bit of composure, could have put the ball through and we didn't have that.

"At the end of the day if you get chances like that and don't take them, you deserve what you get."

The home side controlled the game without ever putting Dalry under any real pressure and as a result they were caught out deep into injury time.

Slack defending at the back allowed the visitors to knock home the winner much to the delight of the Thistle bench.

And especially Thistle manager John Garroch, who apologised afterwards for his over exuberant celebrations towards the home fans.

Crilly realises that it is going to be a near impossible task to keep the Farmer's Boys up. And of his teams attempt to move off the bottom of the league, he said: "It's a test for us as a management team and a test for the players.

"Whether they've got enough pride and professionalism to go and make sure we compete, right till the end of the season and then we'll see were we finish.

"We don't want to finish bottom now, so what we have to do is to burst a gut and try and catch them now."

Neilston: Wilson, Crilly, Eadie, Kenny, Chesney, Forsyth, Christie, Mawuena, Shields, Hobbs, Queen. Subs: McMillan, Bryers, Cameron, Armour, Whiteford.

Neilston's next game against Whitletts is at Brig O'Lea on Saturday (kick-off 2pm).

And on Wednesday April 21, Forth Wanderers visit Brig O'Lea in the Central League Cup second round (kick-off 6.45pm).

This article appeared in Barrhead News 14 Apr 10

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