Pascoe Vale coach Vitale Ferrante has delivered a frank assessment of his side’s 2-0 home defeat against relegation battlers Werribee City on Tuesday, describing the encounter as “the worst game of football I’ve ever been part of.”
With neither side able to conjure up meaningful chances throughout a drab 90 minutes, it took two set-piece goals to Werribee, including a bizarre indirect free-kick in the box for a high boot, to trouble the scorers.
Ferrante lamented his players inability to cope with the Bees’ direct and physical style, believing it effectively stifled their game plan.
“That’s how I sum it up. Just a poor game of football from both teams,” he said.
“We knew that’s how they were going to play and we didn’t deal with that – we should’ve, and it worked for them.
“They scored from set piece situations, otherwise they didn’t create a chance. Neither did we, so we didn’t handle how they played very well.
“Just summing it up in general, from the first minute to the end, it was the worst game of football that I’ve seen for a long time.”
Despite entering the game as heavy favourites following the Bees’ poor run of form, the Pascoe Vale mentor believed the visitor’s desperation to avoid relegation helped them over the line, while making it difficult for his players to follow instructions.
“I can only talk for my team. The other team have got to do what they’ve got to do [to win], but my team, very disappointing,” Ferrante said.
“We didn’t maintain the ball like we’re capable of doing, our chances were only half chances, and we didn’t deal with their physicality at all today, to a point where we just moved the ball on as quick as possible, rather than keeping the ball on the deck, which we know we can do.
“Werribee are fighting tooth and nail. Credit to them, that’s what they did tonight.”
While his side only received one yellow card on the night, the visitors accumulated four yellows and a red card, and Ferrante was clearly irritated at recent physical encounters during a busy schedule that had adversely affected his playing stocks.
“Backing up has taken its toll – the Ballarat game cost us two players for the season,” he said.
“Suddenly, our squad is very thin, and the remaining boys have had to back up.
“So the physicality on that front has taken its toll.”
A short turnaround sees Pascoe Vale facing a further uphill battle, having to take on table toppers South Melbourne on Friday. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30pm at Hosken Reserve.