By Tom Clayton
YORKSHIRE Carnegie Director of Rugby Chris Stirling has hit out at his players following a lacklustre performance against London Scottish on Friday night.
The hosts had pinpointed this match as almost a must-win game, having only won one match of their first seven.
For the seventh time this season, however, Carnegie fell to a demoralising 5-17 defeat at the hands of the exiles that had travelled up from London.
Stirling, after the game, said: “Tonight was probably the first time I’ve been disappointed with the way we played.
“I think we lacked accuracy, some of our work was lethargic and what we asked the boys to do in the first half, they didn’t until probably five minutes before half time.”
Scottish scored two tries within the first 15 minutes through wingers Rob Stevenson and Miles Mantella, one of which converted by Jacob Perry.
Nine minutes before half time Chris Elder played a nice inside one-two with Andy Forsyth to score and bring the hosts back in to the game before half time at 5-12.
A single try was scored in the second half, Mantella scoring his second of the game to seal victory for the visitors.
“We’re in a real hole,” said Stirling. “We didn’t have a bench to go to.
“Our young back row cover dislocated his shoulder in the warm up and James Thraves damaged his shoulder one or two minutes into the game.
“We just can’t catch a trick at the moment.”
Yorkshire’s injury list is seemingly growing by the week, with Thraves now out for four to six weeks after his early knock.
There is, however, some good news for Carnegie, as Pete Lucock made his long-anticipated return to the club on Friday night, earning himself the man of the match award after a solid performance.
Speaking on Lucock’s return, Stirling said: “He gives us a lot of guidance.
“With Pete in there it gives us an opportunity to lighten (Andy) Forsyth’s load a bit. It’ll be nice when we get an opportunity to get him back in the midfield and George Watkins back out on the wing with a genuine fly-half in there.”
Last week, Carnegie signed New Zealand pair Jade Te Rure and Antonio Kiri Kiri, adding options at fly-half and flanker for next week’s trip to Coventry.
The club also re-signed Welsh International Craig Mitchell who started the game on Friday night.
Yorkshire travel to the Midlands to face Coventry next Saturday as they pursue their second win of the season.