Football: Wanderers turfed out but vow to bounce back

Bruce Barclay.

They succumbed 5-0 yesterday so does that say something about the gulf in the leagues between the two football federations?

"No, because there's more to it," said Havelock North Wanderers coach Bruce Barclay after the don't-argue send off back to SH1 from Upper Hutt City in Wellington yesterday following their Chatham Cup clash at Maidstone Park.

Barclay was mindful whatever he said about his Lotto Federation League campaigners from the Central Football region it would come across as excuses after the third-tier Capital Football side went up 2-0 on the artificial turf at halftime.

"They're a decent side and we learned some good lessons," he said but felt the turf was a factor, playing a little different from other ones they had run on to.

The villagers didn't adapt to it quick enough and Upper Hutt asserted themselves.

"They scored very early and we fought back with two good chances but we didn't put it away so it was deflating to see them score another in the last kick of the first half."

Upper Hutt went up 3-0 two minutes after play resumed.

The Wanderers were somewhat exposed at the coalface with the absence of strikers Harrison Gregory (overseas) and captain Jared Bloor (serving second of two-match suspension).

"They have scored nine [Bloor] and 10 [Gregory] goals each in eight games in the league."

To add to their woes, centreback Ben Foxall didn't get on the bus after injuring his knee before their 1-all league draw against Promotem Port Hill United on Saturday.

Havelock North just weren't big enough a club to lose three pivotal players and still be able to foot it at cup level, Barclay lamented.