SIMON SMITH: We weren't good enough at Salem

We weren't good enough to deserve a win at Bradford Salem on Saturday - that is the long and short of it.
Scarborough coach Simon Smith's weekly columnScarborough coach Simon Smith's weekly column
Scarborough coach Simon Smith's weekly column

The players didn’t do themselves justice, particularly in the first half.

Yes, it was muddy, cold and difficult conditions on Saturday and that doesn’t suit our game at all.

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But there are days like that and you have to go back to basics, play hard, tough rugby and take your chances when they come your way.

The guys tried to do too much and as a consequence never really got into our rhythm.

This was compounded by our inability to convert try-scoring opportunities, much like we did against York at Silver Royd a week earlier.

We went out with a gameplan to earn the right to go wide and stretch Bradford to the touchlines of the field, thus creating space and gaps in the centre of the pitch, but this didn’t happen and we weren’t streetwise enough.

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The players did improve in the second half, that said, we didn’t deserve to win the game, even if it looked like we were going to get out of jail with a victory after Tom Ratcliffe’s drop-goal.

Our discipline cost us right at the death though, giving away back to back penalties after we had gone ahead with three minutes to go which gave Bradford the opportunity to kick for a draw.

One thing is for certain, we have to be better going forward if we are to try and challenge for that runners-up spot and a play-off position.

We have a very tough game against a Middlesbrough side, who will be buoyant after ending York’s unbeaten run on Saturday, and away from home as well.

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It is still in our hands, we have to go to Beverley and Heath and host Moortown as well, so we need to improve and make sure we pick up wins to stay in and around the top positions.

Barring Tom Harrison, who will be out for at least three weeks with a broken finger, we should be at full strength for the visit of Middlesbrough.

Thanks for reading

Simon