Macclesfield head coach Giles Heagerty is delighted that the monkey is off their backs after their first win, but there is still more to come, writes Lee Sims.
“Getting a win is a massive relief more than anything else,” he said after the Blues beat Loughborough. “We always knew that we were capable of winning games in this league – we have just not been able to put a full performance in. That is not to say that we put in a full performance today.”
The Blues ran in five tries in their win against the Students, including one right at the death from Dean Williams which secured the first points of the season.
“To win and in the manner that we did, was particularly pleasing,” added Heagerty. “Two weeks ago we would have lost that game. We had a pretty poor 16 minutes in the first passage of the second half, put ourselves under pressure and that could have been the end of us.
“But actually we showed some real grit today. I think out of all the positives you can take that’s probably the biggest one.”
On the minus side Heagerty believes that the points they conceded were of their own doing.
“I think what we need to do is just keep focusing on our processes,” he continued. “We try to be a process-driven group. I think we have except for 16 or 20 minutes where we let them back into the game.
“The reality is that the two scores they got very quickly in the first half both came from our ill-discipline.
“That’s what we have got to get right. When you get your emotions under control and start making objective decisions you stop giving people decent field position.”
The Blues will look to build upon this victory to try and stay in the league and despite the massive challenge that they face. Despite this, Heagerty hopes it will happen.
“One would hope so. We have obviously picked up a couple of bumps today and we need to see where they’re up to but we have got a couple of bodies to come back in as well so that will help.
“I think what we need to do is just keep focusing on our processes.”
