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Bobbie demanding positive response to loss

by Mike Floyd
5/ 3/2008

BOBBIE Goulding is looking for his players to bounce back from Friday night’s ‘unacceptable’ display, when they face Oldham Roughyeds in the Northern Rail Cup at Spotland tonight.

Hornets were beaten 38-8 by the Roughyeds at Boundary Park and, while Goulding could accept defeat, he was left almost speechless by the woeful performance from his troops.

He said: "Unacceptable! That kind of performance for me is unacceptable. If I had people I could throw in to play then I would.

"But I’m not prepared to throw kids in and expect them to perform against Oldham tonight.

"What happened on Friday just wasn’t on. I can get beat by the best of them if we try and have a go. In the second half for 20 minutes we had a go, but the first half performance was unacceptable.

"There were too many on Friday night who weren’t committed and that’s what really, really hurts me. I was really down and I went off straight after the game. As soon as the final whistle went I got my stuff and left."

The normally ebullient Hornets boss was at pains to explain his feelings adding: "I find it really difficult to talk about it. The game plan which we set out just never got going and at the end of the day, as a coach, you can prepare a game plan, but you can’t help them catch and pass a ball. And you can’t stop stupid penalties. Basic errors are killing us and it’s happening every week."

Goulding now has to pick the players up for tonight’s game, but believes a turnaround is in the players’ hands: "It’s now up to players to hold their hands up, come forward and say right, it was my fault.

"It’s about players looking from within, looking in the mirror, looking at themselves and seeing what they can do. I’ve found out a few things about some of the players and I wish I had time to get more players in.

"The players now have to prove what they can do. I don’t mind getting beat, but I do mind that kind of performance.

"I thought Chris Campbell did really well and with Jimmy Elston, Dave Best and Chris Spurr stood up to be counted. Dave Cunliffe will be joining up with the squad in the next week, although he has an injury and won’t be fit to play for a couple of weeks.

"Dave openly admits he’s not the best player in the world but he will give you heart and he’ll go out and show what he can do. He’ll be committed and that’s what I want from all the squad."

Tonight’s match kicks off at 7.30pm.