Comets come crashing to earth

By Ben Hope
CASEY Comets coach Debbie Nichols is “hugely disappointed” after her team’s 1-3 loss against Heidelberg United at Comets Stadium on Sunday.
Nichols said her team would have to work hard to get back in the top four after the loss dropped them into sixth place on the Women’s Premier League ladder.
“It was really disappointing. We made basic errors, you just want to pull your hair out,” Nichols said.
“In the first half hour – when we usually let goals through – we were doing really well until two lapses of concentration within 10 minutes leftus down 2-0.”
After a difficult first half the Comets went into the break with two goals behind and were looking to make a quick recovery.
“We needed to start well but we went out and conceded another goal within 53 seconds,” Nichols said.
“After half-time we were uplifted and ready to fight back. It was so deflating to then cop another goal less than a minute later.”
With a three-goal lead, Heidelberg seemed to take its feet off the pedal for the final 40 minutes giving the Comets an opportunity to get into the game.
The United keeper was all that stood in the way of an attempt from Lisa Cloke and Nicola Prinis was also unlucky not to score from a free kick.
It wasn’t until the final minutes that Prinis redeemed the Comets with their first goal of the match.
“It was a brilliant cross from McEvoy and a brave dive-in header from Prinis,” Nichols said.
“It was a great goal but just too little too late.”
Nichols said her team showed what it was capable of in patches but needed to be competitive for the full 90 minutes.
“We need a bit of desperation. This is one of the technically best teams I have had but they need to put their bodies on the line every week,” Nichols said.
“Then they would be unstoppable.
“We are creating as many if not more chances as the teams we are playing but we aren’t as clinical as they are.
“Our opponents are taking the opportunities we are giving them but we aren’t doing the same.”
There was more bad news for the Comets with a season-ending injury to Natalie Aramian leaving a hole in the team’s midfield. But there was some good news with the return of Alex Gummer for her first game of the season.
The Comets will now play three away games, beginning next week against Ashburton.
“We are away for the next three weeks and that will be tough. Ashburton are coming off a win and will be full of confidence,” Nichols said.
“The next three weeks will be a hard run.”
There was only slightly better luck for the Comets reserves, who drew 0-0 against Heidelberg. The draw left the Comets with one point and kept them in sixth position on the reserves ladder.