Tara Murray
It’s a game of inches for Melbourne Knights at the moment in the National Premier League.
The Knights had dropped their two matches heading into Friday’s match with Oakleigh Cannons, but could have easily won both those matches.
Knights coach Ben Surey said it had been a couple of frustrating weeks.
“I thought we played well against Heidelberg United and we had our chances and I thought we should have got something out of that game,” he said.
“Against Altona, only one goal was ever going to win it. They took their chance and we didn’t create enough chances and the week before we did.
“Had we taken our best chance which was just before them, it would have been 1-0 and we probably would have won.”
Surey said it was different from earlier in the season when they were needing to score multiple goals to win matches after conceding too many.
He said they have looked to change different things, but were wary of going too far one way in either attack or defence.
“We need to create a little bit more and score when we get the chances,” he said. “It’s about a bit of confidence and to keep getting in the right positions and hopefully the luck will change.
“We have tweaked a few things, but it just depends on who we are playing.
“We will get there. We don’t want to lose all our confidence.”
Surey said the vibe around the group had remained really strong and they needed to keep going through the processes and be honest with each other.
He said they want to keep getting better and move up the ladder. The Knights were in eighth spot, seven points outside the top six after 10 rounds.
“We haven’t taken the opportunities and we are now playing catch up,” he said. “We need to make up points somewhere else.”
It didn’t get any easier for the Knights on Friday night against the Cannons.
Speaking before the match with the fifth placed Cannons, Surey said it would be another challenge.
“We won’t go in favourites which will hopefully help us,” he said. “We will not fear anyone.
“It’ll be a tough challenge and they are in a position we want to be.
“We want to prove we are good enough to be there and start eating away at the [points] margin.”
In other matches, Green Gully face Avondale on Saturday and St Albans is on the road against Dandenong Thunder.
