UCD boss Andy Myler says he feels his Students side need to get a little more ‘streetwise’ if they’re to make the grade at the top level.
College somewhat surprisingly came up last season through the play-offs as they toppled a highly-fancied Waterford side in the play-offs.
They are many people’s tips - including Dublin Live - to go straight back down, but have held their own so far, though they remain joint-last on two points.
Those points came via creditable home draws against Harps and fellow promoted side Shelbourne, but Myler feels they should have at least twice as many points.
They’ve only managed two goals so far - in a 4-2 defeat away to Drogheda United - and fell to a 2-0 defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park on Monday.
But Myler feels his side aren’t far away from clicking ahead of this evening’s clash with Bohemians at the UCD Bowl.
“I’m a bit disappointed because I think we should have four results out of the five if we were about it,” says Myler.
“We left a bad half-hour behind us in Drogheda. Tonight I felt a small bit of luck going your way, you get a result.
“I’ll take the performances, bar the half-hour in Drogheda, so far. Once we learn and get a bit more streetwise at this level, I think we’ll be fine.”
Goals either side of half time from Eoin Doyle and Mark Doyle separated the sides on Monday in what was otherwise a tight game of few clear chances.
The Students created a few clear openings at 0-0 but Collie Whelan, the First Division’s top scorer last year, was unable to bring the ball under control.
“It was a bit like the first game against Rovers. We had chances in both halves, moreso in the first half.
“That’s more or less what we’re saying after the game: nothing wrong with the workrate, nothing wrong with the performance overall.
“Actually, we were quite compact in how we defended and didn’t give up many chances in the first half.
“Even when we look back at the first goal, they get kind of a lucky break in the box. It comes off one of our men and ricochets back to him, and whether he’s onside or not is hard to see.
“Overall, I’m pleased, but when you go up the levels we need to be more clinical in that last third.
“The guys will need to learn that quickly because when you go behind in games it’s difficult to get back into them. It’s a lesson we need to take on board and learn from.”
He adds: Confidence is fine. The lads know they were well in the game, and once we were creating chances [we were in it].
“It’s when you don’t create chances that you start to worry. We’re still getting chances in games and we’ll still get better at creating those chances.
“We can be far more accurate in the final third. We know that and it’s something we’ll work on now.
“I’m not overly worried about it. I’m disappointing with the result but not disappointed with the overall performances.
