New Sabah Times
KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Juil Nuatim insists his young charges must get back to winning ways in the President’s Cup challenge.
“We must get our act right and start winning matches again,” the Sabahawks Juniors team manager said ahead of their away tie against Terengganu at the State Sports Complex field C in Kuala Terengganu today.
“I really hope the team will do their best and get the result against Terengganu. It will not be easy. As we can see, Terengganu are above us in third in the standings, but nevertheless I’m quite optimistic they can do it. Furthermore, our away record has been quite pleasing thus far,” he added.
However, the team has been firing blanks in their last three outings.
Despite extending their unbeaten run to six matches in a row, they have failed to score goals, where all their last three matches against Bukit Jalil Sports School (home), Negeri Sembilan (away) and Johor (home) ended in 0-0 draws.
“We are aware the team has been unable to score goals lately, but I believe if the players keep trying their best, it will come, and hopefully, they can do it against Terengganu,” said Juil.
“I have spoken to the players that while it is good that we managed to stay unbeaten in our last six outings or so, but to get a draw all the time is not a good development for the team. We must win in order to keep up the pace with the top teams,” he added.
“So I hope the players take their chances well, and do it as a team.”
So far, Sabahawks Juniors have done reasonably well on the road where they nicked two wins over Kelantan and Police (both 1-0) while the other two matches against Kedah and Negeri Sembilan, ended draws.
At home, they merely managed to win once, draw thrice and lose once. They defeated Kuala Lumpur 2-1 and were held to a draw by Melaka in the opener (1-1), SBBJ and Johor, and lost to Perak (0-2).
With the three wins, five draws and one defeat, Sabahawks Juniors are currently sitting in ninth in the 18-team standings, 11 points behind League leaders Perak, who occupy the top spot on 25 points from eight wins and one draw. Second placed Johor are on 22 from seven wins, one draw and one defeat, while third placed Terengganu with 18 from five wins, three draws and one defeat.
