We caught up with Cockles head coach Steve ‘Pez’ Perry once the dust had settled on his side’s 13-all draw at Weston-super-Mare. First up we asked for his thoughts on the overall performance and the score.
He said: “The most pleasing thing for me, from a coaching perspective, is that we are now seeing game by game improvement in our defensive work and that is something we have been working on in training and to see it come to fruition on a matchday is very pleasing.”
He continued: “Of course, the ideal scenario is to mix disciplined and organised defence with clinical finishing at the opposite end of the pitch.
““That is something we all strive for, but right now, for us, it’s a case of small, steps in the right direction and that’s what I feel we are achieving having now secured a home win followed by back-to-back away draws.
“That means we are unbeaten in three games following the run of five straight defeats.”
We then asked him what his thoughts were when his side found themselves 13-0 down quite early in the second half at Weston and he replied: “It was certainly disappointing that we shipped two tries in quick succession.
“However, once again we showed great character and resolve to play our way onto level terms and I felt it was us in the ascendency leading up to the final whistle.”
He continued: “Personally I was more pleased post match after the draw with University the week before and it was noticeable that the players seemed to regard the draw at Weston as being ‘one that got away’, but earlier in the campaign we might have lost such a contest, but there’s a new resolve about us now.”
In terms of the fact that the defensive side of things is improving, the Cockles coach said: “It is very much the case that we are seeking to change the culture with regard to the defensive side of our game.
“The key to it is for us to defend as a team – almost as one – and that means all players staying focussed as to their responsibilities within the defensive system we use.”
Next up for the Cockles is Saturday’s South West Premier Devon derby with Ivybridge.
The Bridgers sit fourth in the table, 12 points and three places better off than the Cockles who are hoping to have Nick Halse and Jack Fahy, both of whom missed the game at Weston-super-Mare, back in the fold for the game which kicks off at 2pm.
The Cockles head coach says: “What is important now is that we don’t get ahead of ourselves.
“It is an old cliché but we really must take ‘each game as it comes’ and just look to keep making those small, but positive, forward strides.
“If we do that and also keep being prepared to work hard both individually and collectively, then we will certainly get where we want to be.”
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