Stag hunt prospect appeals to Warriors

They are the most decorated S-League club, with nine championships. And with several new signings, Warriors FC were expected to mount a title charge this time.

Yet they currently languish in sixth place in the nine-team table with nine points, 14 points adrift of leaders Albirex Niigata.

They are also winless in their last three games, a run that includes two consecutive losses to Hougang United (0-1) and Home United (1-2).

According to Warriors centre-back Madhu Mohana, lapses in focus have proved costly to the team - they have conceded 11 goals in seven games.

The defender told The Straits Times: "The problem is always losing concentration in the dying minutes of the game, and conceding in the last few minutes.

"Against Home United, we had more possession in the second half, but we conceded in the last minute. I am frustrated to be conceding late goals, but that's football, you play well and lose."

He added: "In terms of quality, we have players like Nikola Rak, all of them have experience. It's just a matter of concentration and quality."

Tonight, Madhu and his team-mates will face title challengers Tampines Rovers at the Jurong West Stadium and history favours the away side, with the Stags winless against the Warriors in eight attempts.

And with Tampines coming off a 2-3 loss to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi in the Asian Football Confederation Cup on Tuesday, tonight's game could be key to the Warriors turning their ailing season around.

Madhu said: "All of us are really eager to play, we've been working really hard the past few weeks after losing back-to-back.

"Morale-wise we're OK. It's always good to play against them, as the pressure is on them. We're ready to go."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 30, 2016, with the headline Stag hunt prospect appeals to Warriors. Subscribe