Self-destruction.
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That's how Western NSW Mariners' men's coach Mark Rooke described a dramatic 20-minute period in his side's 3-1 loss to Dubar Rovers in the National Premier League 3 at Jack Brabham Park on Sunday.
Despite having a very strong opening 20 minutes, including a "brilliant" goal to Jackson Fuda where he broke down the left side and sunk the ball into the bottom corner, Rooke said the Mariners again let their guard down minutes after scoring.
"As we have in recent weeks after scoring we just switched off," he said.
"Three minutes after that they scored from a corner we didn't shut down and over the next 20 minutes we proceeded to self destruct."
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Two goals found the back of the net from Dubar's forays forward, before Declan Logan was send off in controversial circumstances.
Rookie said he saw Logan push a Dunbar player in the head, only for a linesman and the opposition coach to claim the Mariners player kicked an opposing player, for which he was carded.
Down to just 10 men, it didn't look like it could get much worse for the Mariners - until it did.
The Western side conceded an own goal with just minutes to go in the opening half, after which Rooke's charges "dropped their heads".
However, half-time proved to be the nadir for the Mariners, who had three chances in the second half, with just inches separating them from hitting the score-sheet.
"We had some very harsh words at half time and they went out and were the best team on the park," Rookie said.
"It was like we had the extra man, we had three really good chances on goal and the chance to equalise."
He said the second half proved the Mariners are better than their last-on-the-ladder position betrays.
"We have 65 to 70 minutes of good football [each week] and that 20 minutes is costing us ... as a coach you're tearing your hair out, as much as I can say from the sidelines or from the training track, it's up to the 11 guys on the pitch to do it."
"That said, they played some really good football, it's just moments in games we need to step up."
Mariners play second-placed Bankstown City FC in Bathurst this weekend.
Max Stainkamph
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
