HOLSWORTHY boss Ryan Hall feels ‘the performance needs to match the result’ as they prepare for tonight’s rematch with neighbours Bude Town in SWPL Premier West (7.30pm).
The Magpies have enjoyed a fine run of form, losing just one of their last eight league games while also conceding just once in that time, while they also beat the Seasiders 1-0 last month to reach the Torridge Cup final thanks to Gavin Carter’s early finish.
But while they got the job done, Hall wasn’t overly pleased with their performance and wants his side to be at it from the first whistle at Upcott Field.
He said: “I’ll be brutally honest, its a shame this game wasn’t held over the Christmas period, it feels a bit of a non event on a random Friday in April.
“That said, the league allowing the game to be played on a Friday night, with no other games on and under lights should add to the spice.
“The atmosphere in the Torridge Cup game was almost jovial, which our lads really suffered with.
“We have to be revved up to see performance levels sometimes and that’s the aim with this evening’s game. We’re looking forward to the Torridge Cup final but we need to write a few wrongs, the performance has to match the results, I don’t want to be limping over the line.”
Bude felt they were the better side at Torrington in the semi-final, and although Holsworthy missed some chances after the break, Hall admits Steve Hackett’s side will have taken encouragement.
He added: “I’m expecting a high-energy game as Bude will have smelt blood from the cup game where we just weren’t ruthless enough.
“We kept them at arm’s length, but over 90 minutes that’s a risky game.
“So far this season we have had more points against the top five than we have against the bottom five, so we need to address our mentality ahead of the game in order to get the job done.
“Our standards need to be higher if we want to go on and achieve things, but the lads are aware, we spoke about it after the Torridge Cup game and I’m hopeful we will learn from our mistakes this time around.
“Don’t get me wrong you don’t get three points for a good performance, but I don’t think we really showed what we can do.”
Holsworthy have shot up to eighth and saw off top-four hopefuls Wendron United 1-0 last Saturday, and unsurprisingly they are similar again, although former captain Lee Gardener has been added to the squad.
Hall continued: “The squad is relatively unchanged although Craig Penberthy’s absence has allowed me to bring in Lee Gardiner, whose experience in the Western League this season should help to steady the ship defensively. Other than that, we are unchanged.”
While things are going well on the pitch, the club have some work to do with improvements needing to be made to continue playing Step Six football in the coming years.
He said: “I do want to add special thanks to members of the committee who spent a large portion of their weekend, changing over floodlight heads in order to get them in an order to the levels required for league use.”
The club have also started fundraising with the first item up for offer being a signed Plymouth Argyle shirt.
This was made possible by Darren Martyn getting in contact with his old school friend Kevin Nancekivell who is the First Team coach at Home Park.
Committee members will be selling tickets at home games with tickets costing £3 for one, £5 for two and £12 for five. All proceeds go to the club’s ground renovation fund.
You can also email [email protected] or call 07752 486 733 to make a donation.
The winner will be announced not long after the final game.
HOLSWORTHY v BUDE TOWN: Ryan Chadwick; Callum Martyn, Jedd Peschke (capt), Todd Peschke, Sam Hill, Max McDonald, Kieran Jollow, Aidan Slade, Jay Thomas, Lee Gardener, Dean Hutchings, Elis Aldrich, Sam Jago, Gavin Carter, Toby Martyn, Ollie Moores.