John Caulfield: 'They are an honest bunch of guys, they’re good lads and they’re giving everything they have for the club'

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

Galway United lost their second game of the First Division campaign on Friday night when Bray Wanderers snatched a late goal to win 2-1 at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Conceding first has been a common theme for John Caulfield’s men this season, with the Tribesmen going behind in four of their six League games, and that’s something the manager admits they need to address.

“They’re an honest bunch of guys, they’re good lads and they’re giving everything they have for the club but unfortunately we’re conceding soft goals and it’s been our Achilles heel in the first six matches, so we need to work on it,” Caulfield said, speaking to the press after the game.

“To be fair there was nothing really in the match, we were chasing the game, got back to 1-1, obviously just before half-time we had two chances off the post.

“We had chances in the second half but it was the type of game where a corner kick in injury time, left a fella free, misjudged. We’re not being done by spectacular goals but we’re conceding soft goals and it’s disappointing from that point of view.”

It was Joe Doyle that opened the scoring early in the first half, with Ruairí Keating netting the equaliser before half-time.

Galway probably had the lion’s share of chances and still could not come away with the victory but the manager is still optimistic about his side’s fortunes given the stage of the season.

“It’s difficult here, the wind was very strong tonight, the pitch isn’t great and hasn’t been for a long time and that’s disappointing but at the same time we were down after five minutes again.

“Came back in the game at 1-1 and I thought, in the second half, we were the better team even though there wasn’t much in the match.

“To be fair to Bray and Gary [Cronin], we did them with two sucker punches last year in two games, maybe they deserved a break in the last minute today.

“This is a marathon, there’s a long way to go, we have to iron out our problems of giving away soft goals and we’re working every week to do that and that’s what’s disappointing because we had created some chances but we’re giving away soft goals and we have to work on that.”

Caulfield was clearly frustrated by the result, especially given that this is something they have been working on in training, but the manager also made it clear that he is pleased with the commitment of the players so far this season.

“It’s frustrating as I can see what the lads are doing and we do a lot of work on defending, so that is disappointing.

“At the end, it’s just a straight ball in nothing special about it a guy runs and heads the ball from five or six yards and that is frustrating.

“What do you do? You go back in tomorrow, and you get back on the horse and that’s all you can do.

“If I thought there was issues or problems I’d absolutely agree but the lads are really trying their best to do everything right, they had a great win last week but unfortunately tonight they didn’t and that’s disappointing.”

Galway United face Wexford in the First Division next Friday night at Eamonn Deacy Park (kick-off 7.45pm).