Robbie Rock reflects on a 0-4 loss at home to Portstewart

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Q - It's a 4-nil loss at home here at Crystal Park against Portstewart, where perhaps things just didn't go our way today. Coming off uh what was our not just our first win of the season, but a big win over our over the league leaders in Moyola Park, could you share what the mood music was like going into today's game, the lineup and uh your how you aim to exploit Portstewart today?

A - Yeah, the lads have really enjoyed that time since Tuesday. Very light training session on Thursday, but again was very good to get a recovery session in the lads in. Um as in for the squad today, we definitely had to rotate a bit.

Even a couple of the lads that would have started again today are carrying a couple of knocks. Um we've kept there's a couple of players that have played 390 minutes now since uh since last Saturday. So, it's a tough one today, but the game plan and all, not really much would have changed.

Um, the lads were executing it well, but I think there was just a couple of heavy legs, probably some tired mines more than anything. And, um, in fairness, the Portstewart, they came out and they've uh, they've given us a good going. We started the first half well with Ethan Souza and Victor finding space and having opportunities.

Q - But as the half moved on, Portstewart took control of possession and demonstrated some some real quality up front leading to them taking a two-nil lead into the break which was almost three due to a penalty miss. What did you think of the goals and can you share any insight uh from your halftime team talk?

A - The halftime team talk, I can't say anything out here that I said in there. So unfortunately I can't talk on that but in as in the way I went yeah the two goals there two two tough goals to take um first one yeah it was dropped second one's second phase off a um off a free kick or corner and then their their uh the penalty that they've missed um they to be honest with you the way we finished that last 15 minutes of that first half even like it's probably 20 minutes um we probably should have been 3 down and would deserve to be 3-0 down if I'm honest. It just wasn't good enough from us. We've set such high standards not just Tuesday against Moyola.

You go back to Dollingstown, you go Dollingstown, go back by Strabane, the Newry game, we had such high standards of ourselves. We've set such high standards and we fell way below them. And in fairness, um it's probably a good thing for some of the lads that when they realize if they don't meet their high standards that we're setting and our minimum effort that that's what can happen to you against teams like Port Stewart.

Q - In terms of the second half, we just didn't seem to get off the mark and we were a bit flat. We started the half under pressure and conceded a penalty early and and soon another goal followed. Um I'm sure you've dis I'm sure you were as disappointed as the rest of us.

Can you put that second half into context for us?

A - Yeah, the same as the first half. We just I don't know if it was the heat, the weather, we just couldn't get anything going.

If you give away two penalties in a game, regardless of what level you play at, you're not you're not going to win a match. I mean, like, if you're if you're and especially at home, you're giving K chances to score like that, then they've scored another one after it. Again, we've probably had a couple of half chances in the second half, but nothing that would have put Port Stewart under any pressure.

Even the subs that we've made today, we've lads coming on that are carrying knocks. There's lads coming on that have played so many minutes this year and all. I'm not going to dig them out.

They know they should have done better. But it's the game's over now. They need to focus on um Tuesday and Friday night now and um just really try and build something going into it.

Q - We have some positives from today's game. You seen the further integration of some of our young players into the senior team with Ryan Niblock making another appearance and and Brian Finnegan making his senior debut. Logan Sands, Matthew McLaughlin and Ebuka Kwelele were also thought to have been impactful today. How how do you reflect more positively on the game?

A - Yeah, the it was great for Brian to get his first appearance. he's a kid that's probably gone through a couple of injuries and as an outfield player, he's taken to being a goalkeeper like a duck the water um he's been very good in the he's been very good in training, he doesn't lack confidence and I'm sure people will tell you that about Brian that know Brian um just a really good kid that deserve this chance and and in fairness to him he's probably gone the long way about it with a couple of things that he's done but um hopefully he'll grow up now and learn that there's more chances there for him if he takes him. It's great for him to get that.

I thought Adrian was excellent when he went in. Again, a midfielder that were trying to maybe change his position to a centre back, but very calm and collective for such a young player. And Ryan Niblock, like just a for someone as young as him to play the way he plays up front.

He really excited me and we're really lucky to have him in the club and uh really excited now to see how he plays over the next couple of games and then definitely one player that we'll be looking to build uh more game time into next season and definitely be part of our first team squad plans over preseason and see if he can manage to adapt to it and then if he does you know it's all down to him then what he does.

Q - Focus does now turn to towards preparation for our game with Ballymacash Rangers here at Crystal Park on Tuesday evening. We unfortunately lost 8-2 at the Blue Bell Stadium, but we will be seeking to put that result right here at Crystal Park.

A - Yeah, I think every bad result we've had away from home we've come back here and even if we haven't won the game, so like even Dollingstown like they've done us Rathfriland and then obviously it was great to get one on my auto pack. we've changed the score lines and um I'm really positive and I think that we can definitely get something out of the game and if we're not going to get out again we're definitely going to give a much better account of ourselves but again we've only a couple of days now and we we've got to be ready for that and then after that you got another couple of days and you got the final day of the season so squad rotation's going to be key and the players being available so hopefully there's not too many knocks out of uh out of today and we can have a bit more of a full squad on Tuesday.