Goole v Dewsbury preview: Rams can still make top ten insists Paul March despite fourth successive defeat
Dewsbury Rams can still make the top ten – and the Championship play-offs – come the end of the season.
That is the rallying call from head coach Paul March who saw his side drop to 11th in the table after suffering a fourth straight defeat against Halifax Panthers last weekend.
The 36-18 loss at FLAIR Stadium was also the third game running in which Dewsbury had let a half-time lead slip.
March, however, believes the second half performances at Barrow Raiders and at Sheffield Eagles differed to how they lost against the Panthers.
He said: “The games at Barrow and Sheffield were more momentum swingers where we couldn’t handle the swing. Against Halifax it was because we didn’t listen to what we needed to do, and it was a 12-minute lapse in concentration.
“It was individuals clocking off at certain times which allowed them to do what they did. Effort-wise we fought for 80 minutes again but we need to be smarter with the ball in hand and we need to be disciplined when we haven’t got the ball.”
And March wants his side in positive spirits ahead of this Saturday’s trip to a Goole Vikings side which has lost three of its last four games, although they did beat the Rams 16-14 at FLAIR Stadium in dramatic circumstances in February.
“Goole nicked it at the death when we played them at home so we owe them one,” insisted March. “We have trained well for the past couple of weeks leading up to the Keighley game which was postponed and then against Halifax.
“I am sure the lads will be wanting to get back onto the field as quickly as possible to put some things right but Goole stand in our way for us to do that.”
And although the Rams have just slipped out of the play-off places, they have four games still to come against those sides who currently sit between 13th and 16th, as well as against Whitehaven, who have just leapfrogged them into 10th, 9th-placed local rivals Batley Bulldogs, and second placed Newcastle Thunder.
“Our aim is still to get into the top ten, and we have got some big games coming up,” March said.
“I believe we can put a team to the sword. I have said all year that we can do that. But lapses in concentration or momentum swings haven’t allowed us to do that and it’s how we handle that.”
Dewsbury Rams travel to Goole Vikings this Saturday, July 25, kick off 3pm.