Gloucester City manager Daf Williams has expressed his frustration after the club endured a disappointing start to their Southern League Premier South campaign. The Robins suffered a 3-2 defeat at Bracknell Town on Tuesday evening, following a 1-0 home loss to Chertsey Town just days earlier.
Williams was candid about the situation, revealing that some stark discussions took place in the dressing room following the latest defeat. “Not good enough,” he stated bluntly. “I tried to protect the players a little on Saturday as I didn’t think the second half was all bad, but this performance, especially conceding those goals, was a disgrace. It’s simply not acceptable.”
The manager emphasised the need for players to take responsibility, saying, “We will address several issues in training tomorrow. Some honest words were shared, and now the players have got to be accountable and show responsibility going forward. I always reflect on myself, but it’s now their turn as we prepare for Saturday’s away fixture at Wimborne Town. It’s a horrendous start to the season, and I can’t find any positives from that match.”
READ MORE: Amber Heat Warning Issued as Gloucestershire Temperatures Reach 35°C
READ MORE: Stroud’s 1930s Lido Reopens This Weekend with DJs and Poolside Café
Bracknell Town had commenced their season with a heavy 7-0 loss to Plymouth Parkway on Saturday but managed to break the deadlock against Gloucester through Ruben Bartlett-Antwi in the 24th minute. Gloucester responded before half-time, with a goal resulting from a move between Ethan Dunbar and Ashley Hemmings, leading to an unfortunate own goal from Bracknell’s Jordan Stepney.
However, Williams was disappointed with his side’s defensive frailties. “Defensively, we were not good enough. We lost possession in critical areas too often, which allowed them to create breakaways and chances. Despite addressing this at half-time, the players initially reverted to hesitancy, only showing signs of quality and bravery once 3-1 down, which was far too late.”
Early in the second half, a mistake by Ben Nugent allowed Bartlett-Antwi to score his second goal, and three minutes later, Harry Cooksley – notably part of the Farnham side that defeated Gloucester in last season’s play-off final – added a third. Gloucester’s Ed Williams managed to pull one back in the 74th minute with a fine strike, but the effort came too late to alter the outcome.
“The goals we conceded were avoidable,” Williams commented. “We have to work hard to score, and while we found the net twice with good goals, the opposition didn’t have to earn their goals against us. Our issues aren’t just defensive; we were careless with the ball, giving it away cheaply and lacking the necessary quality.”
Despite the poor run, Gloucester City continued to receive strong support from their travelling fans. Williams offered his gratitude: “The travelling supporters were fantastic. If I were in their shoes, I’d be absolutely furious about performances like this. I appreciate their commitment and the expense involved in following the team, but I understand if some feel they didn’t get value for money.”
The match also saw the second-half debut of new signing Josh Keyes, a midfielder recently acquired on a short-term deal. Keyes, who has experience at Swindon Town and Watford, came through Swindon’s development centre and academy before moving to Watford on a professional contract. After being released by Watford at the end of last season, he has joined Gloucester at a time when Williams is contending with several squad absences, particularly in midfield.
“The reality is, without making excuses, we’ve lost four players in the last five days, including Jack Clarke, James Waite, and Joe Hanks, all midfielders, plus Harry Williams and Morgan Lewis,” said Williams. “Having Josh available made a lot of sense, and we’ll see how he progresses over the coming weeks.”
Gloucester City’s lineup against Bracknell Town was: Thompson; Thomas, Nugent, O’Regan, Emmett (Keyes 65), E Williams, Leadbitter (Cross 77), Evans (Phillips 85), Owen-Evans, Dunbar, Hemmings. The substitutes not used were Lewis and Bearne.