NEWTON Abbot Spurs manager Marc Revell admitted to being “really annoyed at a lacklustre effort” from his side as they were beaten at home by Middlezoy Rovers on Saturday, April 11.

It all started so well at The Rec with Toby Pullman putting the hosts in front within the first five minutes.

As Middlezoy looked to put Spurs on the backfoot from the off, Tate Breslan-Aggrey’s incisive pass at the other end put fullback Jaden Bond through. Beating the keeper to the ball, he sliced one up into the air with Pullman then getting to it ahead of the final danger from close range.

Spurs then looked to build on this as they set up camp in the opposition half. There were no goals to show for it though as they squandered opportunity after opportunity.

Revell didn’t pull any punches when discussing the team’s play in front of goal.

“After the early goal, we had a few chances to kill the game in the first half, taking too many silly touches in and around the box.

“It was criminal and throughout the game, you could probably highlight every attacking player as having been wasteful with a chance or two.”

This theme continued after the break and it was the turn of Bond to pass up a golden opportunity following smart work down the right flank from Tom Lobb.

Prior to that though, at half-time, a double change from Revell will have raised some eyebrows. Finn Pearse was withdrawn due to injury and Kai Swann also went off, being replaced by Stevie Cole and Harry Page respectively.

Page was straight into the heart of the action but for the wrong reasons, a misplaced pass gifting Middlezoy a huge change which they rolled wide of the post.

Spurs were eventually made to rue their lack of cutting edge, one missed tackle opening up the space for the visitors. Riley Willis advanced down the left and his low cross was swept home, beyond goalkeeper Kane Gregory, courtesy of Connor Cussans.

Revell’s men looked to hit back and the division’s top scorer Toby Pullman forced Olly Murray into a superb save before firing another just wide of the upright moments later.

They weren’t about to settle for a point but there were issues to deal with at the back too, Lewis Breslan losing his footing and allowing Cussans to pick his pocket. The Rovers forward rounded an oncoming Gregory and tapped home to complete the turnaround.

Huffing and puffing for a way back into the game, Spurs filled the box and their best late chance came as a miscued defensive clearance had to be tipped over by Murray.

It wasn’t to be though and poor finishing as well as underwhelming build-up play let Spurs down on home soil.

“Terrible” was how Revell described it, he continued, “The lads are treating these end of season games like end of season games and I haven’t got the time for it.

“I hate managing teams who just don’t turn up because there isn’t a lot to play for, I ‘d much rather finish third or fourth than eighth or ninth and I don’t understand how any of those players could feel otherwise.”

Reflecting on the defeat, the Spurs boss mused, “Maybe I made substitutions too early, maybe I shouldn’t have brought off the players that I did.

“The subs didn’t really pan out in all honesty, it was quite flat. We looked just as bad in the second half as we did in the first.”

Three games remain for Spurs this season, hosting Torridgeside AFC next on Saturday (Apr 18), then visiting them just days later before concluding the campaign away at Bridport FC.