1:24am Sunday 21st March 2010
By Simon Albert
WALTHAM Forest were outclassed in their loss at home to promotion-chasing Concord Rangers on Saturday.
The hosts had to wait until three minutes into added time at the end of the match to force a meaningful save from Dale Brightly who tipped over the bar from Des Thomas.
Before that, Jamie Haywood mis-controlled from Luke Stanley’s pass when well placed and the ball went out for a goal kick.
Forest manager Phil Miles was very disappointed with how the goals went in saying: “They were mistakes like you would see on a Sunday morning and it is poor at the end of the day" he said.
“The performance was shocking, absolutely shocking. We can’t defend properly and it’s a disease we have had all season.”
After a scrappy start from both teams Rangers took the lead on 14 minutes when defender Paul Shave flicked on a long ball for striker Michael Begg to volley home.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0 to Rangers when Lyle Taylor cut in from the left and drove the ball past Sam Tanner’s near post.
Forest consistently failed to hold the ball up and Robert Carter was becoming more isolated up front.
Right on half time Rangers wrapped the win with goal number three.
Begg gave Tanner no chance when he drove the ball into the top corner with the outside of his right foot.
Eleven minutes into the second half Peter Smith shot for goal from 20 yards but Brightly made an easy save.
Rangers defender Ashley Miller blocked Luke Stanley’s goal-bound effort with six minutes remaining as even a consolation goal was beyond Forest’s reach.
Miles added: “We kept a clean sheet in the second half and we played quite well.”
“There are some positives from the game and we’re hopeful of getting something from every game. It’s just frustrating not to be in games [because of our poor defending].”
Before the home match with Wingate and Finchley, Miles said: “We have nine games left and we will dust ourselves down and freshen the side up.
And before the trip to Brentwood Town on Saturday Miles sent out a warning to the side about defensive lapses.
He said: “If we defend like we did, we have more chance of winning the lottery than getting something out of the match.
“Brentwood have a decent side and if we go in with the right mentality and defend properly we have a chance of getting something out of the match.”
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