Coach: Our boys must keep focused on game
The Falcons are clearly avid students of football, but perhaps it’s time they checked out some classics – the Ancient Greek story of Icarus springs to mind.
Head coach Davor Tavich has asked for focus and clarity in play this week after a near tragedy on Sunday. The topplaced New Zealand King Salmon Nelson Marlborough Falcons, having a perfect record in 2014, almost lost their twoseason unbeaten home record to the bottom-placed Southern United.
The Falcons needed and scored three second-half goals to secure a 3-2 victory, their sixth win from six games this season. They did so, as with Icarus, flying close to the sun.
Whatever the analogy, one thing is clear Tavich wants their feet on the ground against Wairarapa tomorrow.
On 18 points with four games to go and Canterbury in second on 10, if the Falcons can find another victory they will all but have the southern conference locked up. And, depending on other results this weekend a place in the national league final, as southern conference champions, could be confirmed after this round.
But it is just these sorts of lofty notions that Tavich feels could bring the Falcons thumping back down to earth.
‘‘I am aware of it but we try not to talk about it with the boys, I think they are already flying a little bit too high,’’ said Tavich.
‘‘I mean, they earned their spot and they earned their points but they have to really concentrate on this game. If you start looking at other results and what is happening down the track, we might find ourselves in trouble.’’
If the Falcons can level-out, their main aim will be to dial the instruments to the same settings they had in their excellent 2-0 win over Canterbury, where they fired from the start and built through the match. The difference between that performance and Sunday’s was a matter of the 45 minutes after the opening whistle.
The Falcons have the ability to score second half goals. Their first match against Canterbury United last season saw Nelson claw back two late goals to earn a draw and lay the foundation for fortress Trafalgar.
In their last five games the Falcons have only scored twice in the first half, but have knocked in 13 in the second. While Tavich is happy for the goals to keep coming late, he wouldn’t mind a few more up front.
‘‘We have to work a lot harder from the first minute,’’ said Tavich. ‘‘We were really flat-footed on Sunday and we have to get a bit more energetic. Training this week has all been about being sharp and moving faster with and without the ball.’’
There has not been wholesale changes, because the fact remains this side knows how to win. However Omar Guardiola was red-carded last week and will sit this match out, while Taine Swete is also unavailable.
Harry Tod-Smith is back in the starting side after he brought some urgency in defence when he came on at half time last week. That allows Fox Slotemaker to move in front of the defensive line to replace Swete while Josh Lis will see more game time thanks to Guardiola’s brain-explosion.
‘‘There are no major changes, it is just a change in attitude we want.’’
The Falcons beat Wairarapa 3-1 in Blenheim in the second round, but the North Island team had a good 1-0 win over Wellington on Sunday and will be no easy beats. The game kicks-off at Memorial Park in Masterton, tomorrow at 2pm.