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St Albans assistant coach Steve Laurie has admitted Avondale Heights deserved to beat his side in their encounter at Churchill Reserve on Sunday, but promised fans the best was yet to come from the Saints as the players continue to gel together.
In a game where the winner was guaranteed to take top spot on the NPL 1 table, Avondale crashed the home side’s party and snatched a hard fought, come from behind away victory.
Having gone a goal up through defender Barry Devlin, who has three goals to his name already this season, St Albans conceded the equaliser on the stroke of half time before letting in what proved to be Avondale’s winner in the 76th minute.
However, Laurie refused to solely blame his players for the result, praising the endeavour and discipline his opponents brought to the contest.
“That game wasn’t really lost by us. Avondale came with a plan, stuck to the plan and I thought their efforts were outstanding,” Laurie said.
“I don’t put it down to lost chances. It’s the easy way out to blame the strikers but the boys up top worked really hard. Some days they’ll come off the pitch with three goals, today just wasn’t their day, but their effort was good.
“That’s football. Some weeks that’s going to happen and other weeks well get four or five. We certainly had a few squandered chances but all credit goes to Avondale.”
The St. Albans assistant also dismissed the notion that his players may have been overwhelmed or distracted by the occasion, with top spot up for grabs for either side.
“I don’t believe so, we’ve got a lot of experience in the dressing room, players that have played full time, and I don’t believe that was a factor today,” he said.
“All I can ask is for players to give me effort and create chances, then luck plays a bit of a factor and today just wasn’t our lucky day.”
However, the former West Ham youth product was still satisfied with the top four position his side currently holds given the high rate of squad turnover in the off-season, and was adamant his side will only improve as the season wears on.
“There’s things we’ll be working on between now and the next game,” he said.
“They’re all new boys and it’s the first season they’re all playing together. We do have a plan and were working towards that and it is a work in progress.
“18 new players signed in the space of six weeks. It will take time.”
St Albans’s task will be made more difficult with a short, four day turnaround, facing Whittlesea Ranges at Epping Stadium on Friday night.
Image Credit: Roberto Filitti