Waterford FC manager Marc Bircham admits his side seem destined for the dreaded play-offs, as they let a lead slip for the third game running to draw 1-1 with Longford Town last night.
Anthony Wordsworth had given the Blues the lead in the 65th minute, but a point was all that was taken away from Bishopsgate, as Dean Williams scored a penalty for a share of the spoils.
To add to the Blues' misery, they finished the game with ten men as Greg Halford was sent off late in the game.
Speaking to WLR, manager Marc Bircham says maintaining a lead has become a 'mental challenge' for his squad - and some players haven't turned up when it matters most.
"We got ourselves into a great position. 1-0 up, and for the third game in a row - we haven't been able to see it through. It becomes a bit of a mental challenge for our lads. Lads haven't turned up. They haven't turned up in games when they should do. They've got to look at themselves, look at their own performances and what they can do better. It was a great chance for us. The last three games, we've been leading. When there's less pressure on, we win the games. We have done that this season. Now, we're having to deal with what's probably a lot of naivety in the team. Even our experienced players are making mistakes."
'We don't deserve to stay up'
Bircham says that if his team can't handle the pressure, then in truth - they don't deserve to maintain Premier Division status.
"It's disappointing. If we can't close out the three games that we were leading in - we don't deserve to stay up. Maybe it's just become a little bit too much to deal with the mental side of the game, we've got naive young players. They cannot deal with the mental side of it. They've got no previous experience of trying to deal with these situations. We try and take the pressure off them but still - when they cross that white line, they have to perform on the pitch."
'I think we're in the playoffs'
The Blues boss believes they will play the ultimate price for their defensive lapses, meaning they will face the dreaded play-off with either Bray Wanderers or UCD.
Asked whether he thinks Longford can do Waterford a favour and beat Finn Harps, Bircham expressed some doubt.
"I doubt it. I doubt it for us and I think we're in the play-offs. If we could have got them back there, the RSC fully packed - it would be different. It's out of our hands. We've got to try and win the game. We have been in fantastic situations to win the last three and we haven't. We haven't done it, we haven't deserved to. You have to see games out."
Waterford's season now hinges on a Friday night clash with St. Patrick's Athletic at the RSC.
They need to better Finn Harps' result, or it's play-off time for the Blues.
Harps face Longford needing to only match Waterford's result.
With ninety minutes left in the regular season, it's now or never for Waterford.
