Poor defending key for frustrated Naylor

Coach Scott Naylor

SCOTT Naylor blamed poor defending for the 34-24 defeat by Rochdale at Bower Fold and the 42-28 loss at Sheffield in the previous game.

Having won only two of their last 14 Championship games, Roughyeds were plunged back into the bottom two on the last day of the 23-match regular season.

A clearly frustrated Naylor said: "I hear people saying we are playing boring rugby, but we've scored more than 50 points in the last two matches, so how can that be boring ?

"We need to be looking at what we are doing wrong when we don't have the ball and why we aren't taking chances when we've created them.

"Congratulations to Rochdale on their win and for taking their chances. They did; we didn't. In addition to the four tries we scored, we got over the line five or six times, but we either dropped the ball or we were held up.

"We don't seem to be getting a break; bounce of the ball; or a decision. Why that is, I don't know.

"But we scored 28 points at Sheffield - and lost. We scored 24 at home against Rochdale - and lost. Clearly, we need more about us when we are defending.

"It's frustrating. Ten weeks ago we were four or five places off the bottom and we didn't look to have a problem.

FIGHT

"Now, we are in a fight to stay in this division and there is no one to blame but the staff and the players.

"We've two choices. We can resolve to fight our way out of it or we can continue to let teams score more points than us.

"We attacked their line from the start, but they got an interception and scored. The next time we got down their end of the field they intercepted again. Then we put a poor kick into their in-goal area which Kevin Penny collected on the full, and they scored again from that."