Pinchbeck United 1 Anstey Nomads 3
Ian Dunn admitted that an “embarassing” second-half performance was to blame for Pinchbeck United’s 3-1 home defeat against Anstey Nomads on Saturday.
The Knights remain in great peril at the bottom end of the Uhlsport UCL Premier Division table after their 18th league loss of the campaign.
After a goalless first period, three second-half strikes saw the Knights soundly beaten, despite a last-gasp consolation from Kane Gilbert at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
A disappointed Dunn bemoaned his side’s work ethic and felt they didn’t take his proposed tactics for the second half on board.
“The first half was largely even,” said the player/boss. “Both teams had decent chances, but we probably had the best one when Pat Kacirek went through and ballooned one over.
“At half time I was pretty happy, but wanted the lads to press higher and harder.
“Sadly, I may as well have gone home and told my kids or anybody that would listen, because the players didn’t take any notice of what was said.
“In fact, Anstey did exactly what I wanted my lads to do.
“All three of their goals were a joke from our point of view, it just wasn’t anywhere near the standard you’d expect from a team at this level.
“To be honest, I was very embarrassed by the performance.
“The workrate and effort just wasn’t there – and that’s not something anybody can associate with any of the teams I’ve managed over the years.
“I’d hoped that, after playing so well to get a draw with Oadby the game before, we’d have taken that into this game.
“But we really didn’t and Anstey deserved their victory in the end.”
To make matters worse, Ewan Fieldhouse hobbled off with a hamstring knock on the hour.
Knights: Woolley, Gaukroger, Wason (Dunn 72), Parsons, Gilbert, Eyes, Kacirek, Bishop (Bayley 66), Fieldhouse (Jacquite 60), Richardson, Finley. Not used: Shores.
