Moneyfields boss Lee Mould asks squad for ‘self-reflection’ after Hampshire Premier League and cup double dream was ended by Locks Heath

Some poor defending allowed Locks, against the run of play, to storm into a 3-0 lead inside 34 minutes at Cams Alders last night.

Though Moneys pulled it back to 3-2 at the interval, a penalty early in the second half extended Locks’ advantage. Moneys set up a tense finale with a third, but couldn’t force a penalty shoot-out.

‘I was pleased with the attitude of the players, I really was. We could easily have folded at 3-0 down,’ said Mould.

‘From a character perspective, I was more than happy. In actual possession, we were good. But out of possession, we were very poor. We need to work harder at cutting out the danger at source.

‘I thought we were the better side last night, I was very pleased with the way we started, we played some nice stuff.

‘We couldn’t believe it when we were 3-0 down.

‘It wasn’t individual mistakes, it was a collective effort. Yes, the keeper (Sam Richards) should have stopped the first goal, but we shouldn’t have let the player (Adam Clark) get the shot in.

‘For the second goal we didn’t track the runners and allowed a cross to come in, and it was the same for the third goal.’

Mould also thought Locks’ penalty - for a foul on Jordan Whiteley - was ‘dubious.’

He added: ‘I’m convinced our player won the ball, but we shouldn’t be making tackles in silly positions. We gave the referee (Mark Bradley) an easy decision.

‘I’ve asked the players to reflect on what they could have done better. Not just the defenders, but the strikers as well - did you hold the ball up, did you do enough, were you clinical enough.

‘A bit of self-reflection is needed.’

Mould pinpointed two ‘pivotal’ moments in the cup tie. First, when Liam Kyle - who had never previously missed for Moneys from the spot - saw a penalty saved by Joe Hunt at 1-0. Secondly, a minute into the second half, when Josh Bailey shot wide from inside the penalty area.

The bottom line, though, was his side’s defensive faults.

Mould continued: ‘We’ve got to stop giving away silly goals. It was the same at Fleetlands last weekend (when Moneys lost 3-0). We shouldn’t need to score four goals to win games.’

Moneys host Winchester Castle at Petersfield School this Saturday knowing they cannot afford another defeat.

A Denmead win, against Stockbridge, and a Moneys loss will end the latter’s title hopes. They trail Denmead by seven points but have three games in hand.

Even if Moneys win their final four games - the last of which is against Locks Heath - Colden Common would finish level on them, IF Common won their remaining seven games.

At present, Moneys have a plus 16 better goal difference than Common.