Loading...

2016 NPL Youth Team Preview: Round 20

Thumbnail

The Adelaide United Youth Team will host Raiders in Round 20 of the 2016 National Premier League at the Elite Systems Football Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Click here to back our Champions in 2016/17 - membership footer 16/17

After three straight defeats, the Young Reds will be looking break their winning drought as they face the Adelaide Raiders who currently sit bottom of the NPLSA ladder.

Adelaide United Youth Team Head Coach, Mark Jones, believes the side has been playing well over the last four weeks, however has pinpointed his sides inability to take their chances and not being as defensively sound conceding goals at the other end. 

“Personally, I think we have played well in the last four weeks, but we just haven’t been able to finish of games the way we would have liked,” said Jones.

“We haven’t taken our chances and because of that we have copped goals at the other end which hasn’t allowed us to record the points we should be taking each week.

“But we will learn and we get another chance this week against Raiders who defeated us last time out, to hopefully play a good 90 minutes and resurrect our wrongs which have arisen in the last few weeks.”

Despite the results over the last four weeks, Jones is adamant that his side needs to continue what they have showed in order to override Raiders, however has put emphasis on taking their opportunities and being fully concentrated over the full 90 minutes. 

“I think we just need to play like we have over the past month,” said Jones. “We need to make sure that we take our opportunities presented whilst being defensively sound and disciplined for the whole match.

“We have been quite good in restricting the amount of opportunities to teams, but we have then allowed teams to score against the run of play which has been disappointing.

“So personally I think it’s attached to us not being able to convert our chances and therefore gifting teams the chance to win because at the end of the day if we don’t score it allows opposition teams to remain in the match.

“But we are ready for this weekend and know that nothing short of our best will be enough to defeat the Raiders on Saturday.”