Burns - 17 points

By Cherry Picker
March 25 2012

While there is a mathematical chance of finishing in the top four, Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath has to push his side's claims for a good finish to the Premiership season. But realistically, he only has to look at the League table to see it's now a very tall order after losing at home to Exeter.

Glaws are eight points behind fourth top Leicester, and what’s more they are not playing well enough to suggest that can close the gap, even though all four remaining games are against sides below them in the table.

They only lost by a point to an Exeter side which has adapted so well to Premiership rugby, but Redpath was honest enough to admit they deserved nothing more.

He told the BBC: "The first half wasn't good enough. Yellow card time is crucial in any game, especially against a top side.

"To lose the game in the last seven minutes is old news too. We've had that six or seven times this season and we're doing some dull things which isn't enabling us to kick on.

"We had no ball and no territory. We looked flat, and we have to accept that. I'm bitterly disappointed.

"We need to understand that we need to be better to complete, and we're not giving ourselves the best opportunity. Exeter came here and we should be humble enough to accept we didn't match them.

"We have to get our chins up. We have four games left and we've got to fight for the top six now. We've got four teams below us to play. It's not the time to feel sorry for yourself."

Glaws lost it in the first half, when tries from Craig Mitchell and Matt Jess plus five kicked points from Ignacio Mieres gave Exeter the edge for a 15-3 half-time lead.

But with three tries in ten second-half minutes, Freddie Burns scoring a total of 17 points, Glaws really should have wrapped it up, James Simpson-Daniel, a brilliant Burns solo try and Nick Runciman providing the springboard.

But Gareth Steenson kicked a pen and Aly Muldowney crossed for a last-minute try given after the TMO was consulted, which needed Steenson’s conversion for victory, and he duly obliged.

As Redpath says, it's not time for moping- Glaws owe it to themselves and their fans to finish the season well and try to banish the awful inconsistency, immaturity and indiscipline which have blighted this season.

Glaws blow their top four chance

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 25/03/2012 11:29

Shedloads
25/03/2012 11:29

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