Cooper: Horrendous defending cost us

Yeovil Town manager  Mark Cooper has said “horrendous” defending from his side was the difference in today’s 2-1 home defeat to struggling Wealdstone.

The Glovers conceded two goals from set-pieces early in both halves to go down to their 12th defeat of the season despite a header on the stroke of half-time from Finn Cousin-Dawson which briefly drew them level.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman after the game, the boss said: “When you are low on confidence, the goal (against us) takes all the stuffing out of us. We had bits and pieces again around the box and if we get a chance to get a shot off we hit someone up the backside or don’t get a clean strike, but if you concede crap goals, that is what happens. I am not sure we deserved that result today.

“We played two out-and-out centre forwards (Ciaran McGuckin and Kyrell Wilson) with a number ten (Sean McGurk) behind them, we played two wingers (James Plant and Josh Sims) as wing backs, but none of that matters if you concede rubbish goals. We have to be more resilient and diligent in our defending, but I don’t think we could have got more attacking players on the pitch today.”

Visiting winger Enzio Boldewijn gave Wealdstone, who remain in the bottom four of the National League Premier despite today’s victory, the lead when he rose unchallenged to head the opener after 15 minutes.

Cousin-Dawson scored by exactly the same method when he met a Brett McGavin set-piece with a thumping header on the stroke of half-time, but within nine minutes of the restart the visitors restored their lead through former Glovers’ loanee, defender Josh Grant.

Cooper added: “If you look at our goalkeeper, he has not had a save to make all game, but he has had to pick the ball out of his net twice. The game is decided on two horrendous goals we gave away. We are playing against another team that is struggling and we gave them the impetus with about six mistakes in the first goals and we just let their right winger head the ball inside the six-yard box.

“I thought we reacted well to (going behind) and we had chances and we scored a good free-kick and you feel the ascendancy going in to the second half, but then we conceded with a free header on the penalty spot. A 6’1″ defender against a 5’10” player and the little fella wins the battle and scores the header and that gives them something to hang on to. We were knocking on the door, but we could not break it down.

“I didn’t think the performance today was bad, I thought we were front foot and got after them and had some good chances (to score) in the first half. But the goals (we concede) are horrendous, you have to do your job as a defender and clear the ball. If you concede goals like that, it becomes difficult.”

The defeat means the Glovers have not won since the 3-1 home win over Braintree Town more than two months ago, but have another chance to pick up three points when Tamworth visit Huish Park on Tuesday night.