Cavalry FC’s dry spell in front of goal continued with a 0-0 draw against York United in Winnipeg Wednesday.
The Cavs are enduring their worst run of results in their young Canadian Premier League history – winless and goalless in four games, earning only two points from a possible 12.
And Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. believes the lack of scoring is due in part to his overthinking attackers.
“We’re just starting to second guess, taking that extra touch,” admitted Wheeldon Jr. after the Wednesday’s match. “When you’ve got attackers that are on song, its just one touch finishes. When we’re taking that extra touch, we’re wanting it to be perfect.
“We probably just need one to go off the backside, to get us running again,” he joked.
Cavalry FC strikers still resharpening instincts
Cavalry FC managed only three shots on goal out of 11 total efforts, while York United failed to force a single save from Marco Carducci.
But Wheeldon Jr. has sympathy for his squad, and his strikers in particular.
“It’s 286 games between games,” he said. “And your instincts need to be sharpened. And when you’re tired and you’re forever on this hamster wheel, we’re asking a lot of these guys.”
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And the Cavs coach is confident they’ll find there range when they return home from playing the opening eight games at Winnipeg’s IG Field.
“Things will be a lot different when we’re back home at Spruce Meadows on the grass, on a nicer pitch,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “You know, that turf (at IG Field) is hard as hell and it’s bouncing everywhere. So the lads are just losing that little bit of instinct. That’s all.”
York United earn first clean sheet of 2021
Wednesday’s match was a chippy affair and York United head coach Jim Brennan believed things got out of hand at times.
“There was some challenges that I didn’t agree with that should have been disciplined, but they obviously weren’t,” said Brennan. “But it was frustrating for us at times.”
But the York manager was pleased to earn his first clean sheet of the season.
“The one thing, apart form the players showing that they can compete and be physical when the time is needed, was getting that clean sheet,” said Brennan. “It was important for us to get a clean sheet in this match.”