Remington criticises commitment as 2nds collapse again

Remi's attempts to turn his team's fortunes around are becoming increasingly drastic

• Northumbria 4ths 4
• York 2nds 2

Remington's outburst came after York's second XI slumped to another defeat, this time at the hands of Northumbria's 4th XI.

The captain said: “Out of all four UYAFC teams, the 2nds have the worst turnout, at training last Thursday only two out of a squad of 13 came. Considering that was after a game which we just lost, it’s disgraceful.”

“Certainly complacency comes into it, we seem to turn up to a lot of games thinking we’re better than the other side. We shouldn’t be approaching games in that mentality.”

“I dropped Anton [Murphy] purely because he hasn’t been to any of the last 4 training sessions, which isn’t good enough. He needs to start coming to training.”

...we seem to turn up to a lot of games thinking we’re better than the other side. We shouldn’t be approaching games in that mentality.
Remi Remington

Carl Worrall, who scored his first goal from open play in his two years for the club, described the problem as “…maybe complacency, [there is] also just a general lack of passion. I don’t know if the fitness is there. We weren’t tight to our men, and we weren’t tracking runners. That’s something that needs to be worked on.”

The York side were wasteful with their chances early on, and deserved nothing more than to be losing 2 – 0 at half time. Remi Remington hinted at where he thought the game was going wrong by saying, “If you looked at Northumbria’s second goal, if you stopped play at the moment in time when the ball went in the back of the net, our back four were all in a line across the 6 yard box – which is where they should have been. But there wasn’t a midfielder in sight.”

York faced a downhill struggle for the second half, as the slope was now in their favour, and Remington made it pay early with a useful free kick eventually hit home by Centre-Back Worrall. This inspired York into producing the nicest football of the game as they pushed on for the equaliser. But as York battled higher up the pitch Northumbria were offered space on the counter, and it cost them.

[there is] just a lack of passion.
Carl Worrall

Northumbria’s third looked to have killed the game until a piece of individual brilliance from Jack Crane, who stormed down the right flank, cutting inside to finish classily past the home ‘keeper. York continued to push on to try and get something from the game, but again Northumbria punished them when their striker beat Taylor to a long through ball, improvising with his knee to lob the ‘keeper for Northumbria’s fourth.

Remington ought not to be overly concerned with the manner of Northumbria’s last two goals, as they were a direct result of his team pushing on the for the win, but it does take some explaining how the Man of the Match vote was shared between two defenders, in a game that they shipped four goals. Add to that the fact that goalscorer Worrall described ‘keeper Taylor’s performance as “class”, against a Northumbria side that didn’t present any exceptional attacking talent.

“I just think we lose out a bit in the centre of midfield.” Offered Remington, who now plans to switch to a midfield bolstering 3-5-2 set up. The formation has become popular with the First XI this season, and has been used to good effect by several college sides. Remington, who has played under this system for his college, will call up fellow Goodricke defender Adam Lewis. Lewis is in form this season following consecutive clean sheets against Vanbrugh and James, and Remington will be hoping he can bring his experience of the formation to the University’s second team.

Saturday’s fixture is at home to Liverpool’s 2nd XI, and York will need to up their energy and passion if they’re to get anything from this two o’clock kick off.

York 2nd XI (4-4-2): Taylor, Remington (c), Worrall, Swan (Crane 45), Holdsworth, Edwards, Richards, Molyneux, Laird, Silson (Murphy 70), Oomen.

Goals: Worrall, Crane.

Man of the Match: Shared; Worrall and Holdsworth.

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.