After Saturday’s final game of the season, Bay manager Nathan Haslam reflected on the defeat by Shildon and his first few weeks in charge at Hillheads. “It’s a disappointing end, I think we gave three extremely soft goals away but over the 90 minutes I thought we competed, I thought we were the better team in patches but they just had a much more experienced team and it showed to be honest.”
Whitley were without three key players through injury and illness and the manager admitted that it was a setback. “It didn’t help but it’s a squad game and it gave other lads the opportunity to finish the season on a high, but obviously it hasn’t worked out that way. I’ve just said to the lads they’ve given me everything in the time that I’ve been here. In the league it’s been good enough on three occasions and it hasn’t been good enough on another three occasions. The highest we could have finished was 12th, we’ve finished 13th so when I started I’d have taken that, but the disappointing thing today is how we’ve gone out with a bit of a whimper. Kieran’s sending off showed a bit of inexperience but he will learn from it, discipline is a big thing for me.
“We had a pretty attacking line up today but their defenders have absolutely thwarted us. That’s how you defend so if our lads have got a lesson learn, that’s it. We’ve conceded over 80 goals this season and that tells the story about where we’ve not been good enough. The lads know it and they’ve got to be better next season. We’ll strengthen the squad as well in the summer.
“The positive thing for me is it’s all about starting the hard work now of getting ready for next season and I’m really looking forward to it.”
