Moseley looking to improve

Mar 28 2008

MOSELEY coach Ian Smith will be looking for a vastly improved performance from his side at Plymouth tomorrow after last week's 43-5 drubbing at Billesley Common by Bedford last week.

He said: "We will be looking for quite a substantial improvement.

"I think it is fair to say we are not playing to anything like our potential. It is something we have to get to bottom of.

"It is a case that, mentally, we are not in tune with the challenges that lie ahead of us. We have to put that right.

"All the players were accountable with equal responsibility. We made that many errors it showed we were not mentally in tune. Bedford just played.

"Apart from very small glimpses we didn't show anything and we did not keep the ball long enough to threaten their defence.

"The one spell we had we put three phases together and went straight through then threw the ball away in front of their posts."

Moseley's only score came when a Bedford clearance was charged down and fly-half Neil Stenhouse picked up the rebound and had a clear run to the line.

Smith and his players had a discussion about "what these players hold dear and how they are going to make improvements as individuals and as a team and to each other. We cannot afford to carry anyone."

He said that Moseley had had four bad performances this season: Bedford home and away, Doncaster away and against Pertemps Bees in the cup "and they were all pretty similar".

He added: "We gave them the opportunity to play because we were not accurate enough and we did not hold on to the ball and also there were a few issues with the defence.

"The shape of the defence is there but if people do not want to make tackles that is what happens."

To be mathematically safe Moseley need another six points.