Bad decisions are costing us games, claims Muir's McLean

Published on Monday 12 January 2009 09:13

BOROUGHMUIR team manager Ally McLean has pinpointed poor decision making for the Meggetland men's latest league defeat, a 29-10 loss at Glasgow Hawks in their rearranged Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership fixture.

However, he remains confident that the experienced players in the team can help the current champions finish the league campaign in style.

"We started well but made a few unforced errors and there were one or two immature decisions that cost us – such as running a penalty from our own half when we should have kicked it," he said.

Winning the battle to establish some consistency remains the main objective for the coming weeks, but McLean and the 'Muir coaches have faith in the ability of the players to rediscover the winning habit.

He said: "We clearly have a lot of work to do, but we have a talented squad and all it will take will be one big result to turn things around.

"We need a bit more cohesion, greater discipline and we have to start making the right decisions, but we have some seasoned campaigners and they can help drag the side through this current trough. If we can get a good run in the league, we can then take it into the cup."

'Muir had suffered three defeats in their previous four games going into Saturday's clash with a Hawks outfit battling for top flight survival.

The Capital side failed to take advantage of the elements in the first half and, after reaching that stage of the game 17-3 in arrears with only a penalty by Elgan O'Donnell to show for their efforts, there was scant chance of taking the win that would have moved them back up to fourth place in the league table.

And there was little for 'Muir coach Eamon John to enthuse over in the second period as Hawks kicked on to take all five league points.

Boroughmuir had given themselves an opportunity to battle back into the match when Angus Martyn, who had moved to centre in an injury enforced reshuffle, crashed over for a try, which O'Donnell converted.

That score trimmed the gap to ten points, but instead of building on the breakthrough, the title holders again sat back and allowed Hawks to draw away for a win that has pulled them clear of the bottom two and hauled both Edinburgh Accies and Watsonians back into the relegation battle.