Frustrated Coombs lashes out at players (Story posted 03.10.02)

MAIDENHEAD United chairman Roger Coombs lashed out at his players this week, following Saturday’s last-minute defeat to Welling United in the FA Cup.
Having ploughed in a sustantial amount of time, effort and money into the club for several years, Coombs saw this year’s competition as an opportunity for some pay back on his long-term and substantial commitment.
However, despite his side taking a second-half lead, his dreams were shattered, as the Dr Martens Premier outfit grabbed two late goals and the £7,500 purse.
Coombs said: “That was the most important game of the season and we threw it away.
“I was totally gutted. For me the season was finished there and then. That’s the way I feel.
“Its so frustrating, because we have to wait another year to have another crack at it.
“There’s still the league I suppose, but I can’t get any enthusiasm for another 30-odd games just to stay in mid-table and avoid the relegation battle.”
He also made it very clear who he held responsible for Saturday’s debacle, adding: “It would be nice, once in a while, if the players contributed something to me rather than me always contributing to them.
“It was their first chance to do something for me and they blew it.”
Club stalwart Coombs – who last season considered whether to step down as chairman – certainly feels let down.
But what made the situation even worse was that it was a game he feels the visitors should never have had a chance of winning.
He explained: “They weren’t better than us.
“We played all the football, got a lead, then sat back and let them come at us.
“We’ve lost games to teams like Purfleet, St Albans and even Aldershot, and they weren’t playing better football than us and after those games you’re left thinking ‘How did we manage to lose that one?’
He continued “I think the worst thing we did on Saturday was score with half an hour to go, otherwise we would have kept plugging away.
“But we kept dropping back after that, inviting them to attack us, and they got two late goals.”
Certainly the Magpies contributed to their own downfall, but they could also have been rewarded with a more fortunate draw.
Had they won on Saturday, United would be playing former Conference outfit Dover.
As Coombs put it: “Someone up there doesn’t like us.”
Adding: “I’ve suggested we should get ourselves relegated and make some money from the earlier rounds.”
However looking for a silver lining to a bad week he comnented: “We still have the FA Trophy but its not the same.
“I suppose we just have to concentrate on that now and try and get a run and some excitement from it.”
Clearly Coombs had taken Saturday’s defeat to heart, so much so that he refused to travel to Hampton & Richmond for Tuesday night’s league clash.
His apathy probably saved him further upset, as United only managed to salvage a draw against the Premier League stragglers, who played the last 20 minutes with only nine-men.
Coombs said: “I couldn’t bring myself to go to Hampton but I asked Alan (Devonshire) how it went and he said ‘dire’.
“The fact we couldn’t score against nine men sums it up.
“I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or if it’s just a matter of someone taking the responsibility for the final shot.
“If you could put your finger on it you could solve it, but it’s very frustrating.
“We’re losing to ourselves.”
Tomorrow (Saturday), United welcome Grays Athletic to York Road, kick-off 3pm.
The Magpies have only won once in their last eight outings but will be hoping to return to winning ways against the boys from Essex, who are currently languishing near the bottom of the table.
There is no midweek game this week, although United have filled next Saturday’s empty fixture with their rearranged trip at Aylesbury.