YOU just think things are starting to come together, and then ill goes pear-shaped again.

I couldn't have asked anything more of the team in training last week. They worked really hard and the moves were coming together well.

But once we got out on the field up at Whitehaven it all went out of the window, and there can be no excuses. After the training we travelled up to Cumbria and stayed over night, Saturday morning also went to plan.

The only real problems were that Matt Foster pulled out with a throat infection and Alan Julian - who had been dropped as a disciplinary measure - suffered an injury. Stuart Calvert had to be brought up by car, but that shouldn't have upset the team too much.

They scored early on, but we got back into the game with Fred Sapatu putting Simon Irving over, but he had the ball knocked out of his hands as he tried to get under the posts. We missed two penalties and things really started to happen.

When the team gets put under pressure their confidence and self-belief just drains away - and that really is our bigest problem at the moment.

They really have to learn to play the way we train, particularly when they are under pressure.

We planned to get the ball wide and really expose their flanks, but our lads started just trying to bash the ball up the middle. We need to stay calm and collected when we are under pressure.

THE great thing is that team spirit is still brilliant, even after we did some pretty tough talking on Monday. They are still having a laugh and a joke, but they are also starting to realise what I demand as a coach.

They are professionals and they must act in a professional manner.

IT'S been a busy week trying to identify the players I want to bring in to the club and Joe Simpson comes with a very high recommendation from the Bulls and could come into contention this weekend.

Congratulations to Helen Hamilton of Shipley and Mrs Y Perkin of Keighley who won last week's competition.

Tickets for Sunday's game are on their way to you. Hope you have a brilliant game. I'm sure that lads will be putting on a top performance against Hunslet.

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