Pressure on Maids says rivals coach (Story posted Thursday, February 21)

‘We’re out to get you’ – Bridgwater guru lays down gauntlet to Braywick opponents

MAIDENHEAD Rugby Club’s short-lived revival seems to be on the skids, after a confidence sapping defeat at Barnstaple on Saturday.
And Bridgwater, their opponents tomorrow (Saturday) kick-off 2.30pm, will be looking to take advantage of any weaknesses.
The Somerset team’s head of rugby Jim Trowbridge said: “I think we’re safe in the league but Maidenhead are still looking for points. Four clubs might go down so there’s a lot of pressure on them
“If we can pick up a few points on our travels we could still make the play-offs, so we’re coming up there to win. We’re coming to get you.”
Bridgwater are currently lying in midtable and will provide a stern test.
But Maids coach Simon Edwards is still trying to pick up the pieces after Saturday’s defeat – a match he had billed beforehand as ‘winnable’.
And, until half-time, it looked as though they might just pull it off.
However, when things started to go wrong, the Maids capitulated, conceding three second-half tries without reply.
Unfortunately, the unavoidable conclusion is that confidence is everything in this ultra competitive league, and Maids are currently lacking the killer instinct.
Edwards said: “It was an important game and it proved we’re not as good as we’d hoped. It was very disappointing.
“Having dominated for 30 minutes in the first half we didn’t score.
“They sneaked a fortuitous try before half time but then we kicked a penalty to make it 5-3.
“At half-time we thought ‘game on’ and we put big pressure on them for the first 10 minutes of the second half.
“Again we should have scored but didn’t. Then they fly-hacked the ball the full length of the pitch and the referee gave a try.
“We never really got back into the game after that.”
The players do not come across as delicate flowers who wilt at the first sign of pressure, but Edwards has consistently blamed a lack of the ‘right stuff’ as the main reason for his side’s very patchy season.
Maids certainly have the ability to fight their way back into games, as shown by their spirited comeback at Chinnor last week, when they reeled in a 17-point lead to win the match.
However, on Saturday, heads dropped all too quickly and indiscipline began to rear its ugly head, further contributing to Maids’ downfall.
Edwards explained: “When Chad Miller and Simon Ward got sin-binned, that ended it.
“We were down to 13 players for eight minutes and during that time they scored again.
“That in itself didn’t cost us the game, but it certainly didn’t help.”
“A lot of it is down to confidence – and making the right decisions in the right areas of the field.
“We need to start converting pressure into points and stop making unforced errors in key positions.”

MAIDENHEAD were knocked out of the Berkshire Cup in the first round on Sunday, as they slumped to a 22-5 defeat to Reading.
The complex rules of the competition mean 1st team squad members are virtually excluded, turning the game into a second team knockabout, so there were no tears shed over the early exit.
Other results in the Berkshire Knock Out Cup 1st round: Hungerford 5, Tadley 37; Aldermaston 15, Berkshire Shire Hall 22 (aet); Bracknell 18, Redingensians 12; Thatcham 29, Broadmoor Staff 5; Basildon v Windsor – walkover for Basildon; Maidenhead 5, Reading 22. Byes: Abbey, Newbury.