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DEAKIN: 'We were good enough to go up'

29/ 9/2008

OLDHAM coach Steve Deakin admitted his side should have been promoted this season after watching them beaten in Sunday's Co-operative National League Two play-off final.

This year’s title favourites missed out on one of the two automatic promotion spots before losing 18-10 to Doncaster in Sunday's final at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Having watched his side lead 6-2 at half-time, Deakin could only look on as the Roughyeds conceded three second-half tries to face another year in rugby league's third tier.

He said: "I thought at half-time we were pretty much in control of the game. We ran at 82 per cent (completion rate) first half and 84 per cent second half but I thought there were a couple of decisions we took
with the ball that weren't the right call to make.

"We were good enough to go up. Even on today's performance, I thought we were good enough to win the game if we made the right decisions with the ball.

"We'll get over today and analyse where we need to make changes because changes have to be made. We'll come back and prepare for a better season next season.

"We didn't get promoted because we didn’t go up when we should have done. We limped over the finishing line and we need to look at how we attack the season."

Although the club did not meet their stated target of promotion, Deakin maintained the season had been a successful one.

Nevertheless, he was realistic enough to acknowledge that what he might consider success may not be a shared opinion elsewhere.

He said: "We were the second most successful team in the competition.

We only lost five games, got to the quarter-final of the Northern Rail and Challenge Cups, and a Grand Final as well - maybe my perception of success won't match others'.

"We wanted to win each game we played. We played 39 games over the season and were prepared to give it our best shot - you have to handle these distractions and put up with the extra games and the re-organised games it entails.

"I'm very proud of the players. Even though we weren't the smartest team today, I thought we were brave and showed a lot of effort in what we did."

Inevitably, given two consecutive failed attempts to exit National League Two, there was the question of Deakin's future.

With the club determined to get back into National League One and be a success there, Deakin spelled out his desire to be in charge come 2009.

He said: "I'd like to think I'll be here next year but I'll go home and have a few beers because I haven't had a weekend off since January 13.

"I'll have a holiday with my wife, recharge the batteries and come back better and stronger for next year and come out of National League Two."