Clach urged to stay focused when in front
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IAIN Polworth is urging his Clach players to keep their cool to avoid blowing games from winning positions.
The Lilywhites manager was gutted on Saturday as his team saw their 2-0 interval lead turn into a 4-2 home Highland League defeat against ruthless rivals Forres Mechanics.
After weathering a strong start from the Can Cans, Dan McLennan headed the hosts in front after terrific play from attacking midfielder Stuart Leslie.
A clever cut-in and swerving shot from winger Blair Lawrie doubled the Inverness side’s advantage and Polworth would have hoped they could have built upon this.
However, it was fabulous Forres who turned up the head at Grant Street with four goals within 18 minutes leaving Clach floored.
Constant threat Liam Baxter, who was denied several times by goalkeeper John Campbell, put Forres on the scoresheet before former Caley Jags man Stuart Soane levelled the game.
Nerves kicked in as Mechanics really took control and Craig McGovern and another from Soane finished Clach off.
The result between these two mid-table teams saw Forres pull three points clear of the Merkinchers, with three fixtures to spare.
Polworth was reeling that they saw a strong position turn into a defeat.
He stressed: "The performance between the first and second halves was night and day. But that’s why we are where we are in the league. We are susceptible to that. When we concede we look nervous. It was an 18-minute spell in the second half which turned it around. I don’t know how many times that has happened this season.
"It’s a lack of confidence and nerves that causes that. We saw the ability in the first half, but then we lost a goal six minutes into the second half.
"It was a poor goal from our point of view. Michael Finnis should have been in front of the goal and James Beeston was on the wrong side, so to let their player cut inside and shoot.
"For the second goal, we asked people to pick players up, but we lost our markers from a corner and that was another poor one."
Although bitterly disappointed with the result, Polworth stressed: "Forres are a really good team. If anything, they should be further up the table. They have had their injury and suspension problems, but they have top Highland League players such as Scott Graham, Lee Fraser, Liam Baxter and Stuart Soane."
This Saturday, Clach take on champions Cove Rangers at Inverurie and Polworth insists his players have to build on the aspects which went well at the weekend.
He added: "Cove got a point in a 1-1 draw with Formartine last week, so we look forward to the challenge. We have to take the positives from the Forres game."
