We must start our games better, says Tayport boss

Tayport found the going tough as they slumped to defeat on Saturday. Pic by Ryan Masheder

Eddie Wolecki Black says his Tayport players must learn the importance of starting games better.

The Canniepairt side were dumped out of the Thorntons Property Cup at the weekend when they were beaten 4-0 by Dundee North End.

All four goals game in the opening 45 minutes, meaning the game was pretty much over as a contest by the break.

Tayport steadied the ship after the interval but had given themselves too much to do.

“Our first-half killed us,” conceded the Tayport boss.

"We go behind and then it’s 4-0 at half-time – it’s a mountain to climb from there.

"It was very similar to a couple of weeks ago against Carnoustie when we went 3-0 down and the players are well aware that their start to a game has to be better.

"It was individual errors.

"In the first-half we’ve lost four goals, two of them from free-kicks and a penalty so that’s really disappointing because that’s the one time you have the team set-up how you want them.

"The players have had a lot of praise this season since I’ve come on board and we’ve had some good results.

"But the weekend was an image of what we can be like if we don’t have our 100 per cent focus and concentration on games.

"I’m disappointed that we’ve gone out of another trophy that we had our eye on doing well in.

"It now leaves us with just a few league games to go and a semi-final.”

Tayport shift their focus back to Midlands League duty this weekend when they make the trip to face Blairgowrie.

Then will come a Quest Precision Engineering Cup semi-final away to Broughty.

It’s a competition Wolecki Black wants to do well in but says the league games are equally as important to gather momentum for the cup ties.

"Our whole season is probably going to come down to one game,” added the manager.

"We want to win our league game to get a bit of form going, going into that semi-final.

"It’s important we play well and perform in all the league matches building up to that and it has to start this week.”

Tayport currently sit sixth in the Midlands League with Saturday’s hosts a few places behind them in 13th.

The division is being led by Carnoustie Panmure who have a six point advantage.