THREE defeats in four matches isn't the start that Wharfedale coach Tom McGee wanted to their National League One season but, looking back at their 33-27 home defeat by Cinderford last Saturday, he said: "No-one is more disappointed than the players."

McGee added: "It was a very similar to the Esher match. We didn't have the platform in the first half, we didn't kick our goals well and take the points that were on offer, and Cinderford did, and good luck to them.

"We made it very easy for them but we showed glimpses of how we want to play.

"However, we need to turn those glimpses into passages of play, turn those passages of play into halves and turn those halves into 60 or 70 minutes.

"The players train on Tuesdays and Thursdays but need to work on their own games in addition, and the most frustrating thing for me was that we let Cinderford catch and drive for 20 metres with some of our players just expecting something to happen when we needed to make it happen.

"Cinderford was a game that we could have sneaked but it would have been a sneak and we wouldn't have deserved it."

McGee added: "It sounds simplistic but the key is hard work. We have a good side, a very good back division and I know that we have the talent in our squad to succeed.

"No disrespect to Cinderford, but if we had played like we can there is no way that Cinderford would have won that game."

Then, with a nod to England coach Stuart Lancaster and his difficulty in deciding when to bring on his replacements, such as last Saturday against Wales, Scotsman McGee said: "If your side are on a roll, then why change things?

"Of course, some of his changes were enforced by injuries, and I know lads train for the chance to play, but you should only bring your replacements on if they are going to improve things.

"For example, last weekend I brought Adam Howard off not long after he had been brought on because it wasn't working."