Player/boss Matt Cawthorn admitted that his Long Sutton Athletic side needs a bit of an attitude shift after Saturday’s 3-0 home loss against Wittering.
Three second-half strikes saw the Magpies crash out of the ChromaSport PDFL Chairman Championship Shield at the quarter-final stage against a Wittering side that are fourth in Division One.
To make matters worse, Sutton had key man Billy Radeloff sent off for a professional foul when the score was 2-0. Cawthorn, who felt he should have scored twice himself when the hosts were on top in the first half, now wants his charges to improve their mid-table position in the league.
He said: “I felt we had a good chance of winning this game and progressing.
“Preparation was hampered by a couple pulling out due to illness and work commitments, but that’s not to say we didn’t have enough in the squad to win the game.
“Our attitudes and warm-up went to plan and, in the first 45 minutes, we were dominant. We looked dangerous in possession and I wasted a couple of good chances which, by my own standards, should have been two goals.
“With a tricky winger and experienced frontman, Wittering caused us a couple of problems but the back four stood firm.
“We were creating chances, but maybe we were lacking that one final ball or a scrappy goal to push us onto the next level.
“In the second half the management and players all agreed the first goal was going to win this game. And, sure enough, wasted chances came to bite us. We struggled to do the basics and our attitudes changed – a couple of their goals were comical.
“Late on we changed formation to try push on at 2-0 down and lost Billy Radeloff to a last man tackle.
“I take responsibility there for playing him centre back, but up until then he played well and controlled things.
“On the whole, it wasn’t a very good way to lose and go out of the cup. I’ve praised the character of the lads in previous weeks, but as a team our attitude need to change.
“We’re in a mid-table battle and want to try and push on and improve. I have to take each game as it comes now and try to take positives from it.”
Sutton: Taylor, Nicholson, Radeloff, Melton, Bennett, Moses, Ward, Oliver, Narducci, Allen, Cawthorn. Sub used: Brothwell.
Saturday: Warboys v Long Sutton (2pm).
