FOOTBALL
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With the gap to a top-four spot widening, Illawarra coach Graham Shaw has urged his squad to adopt a Cup final attitude over the next few weeks.
The Rays are yet to win a game after triumphing the Pre-season Cup but have secured back-to-back points with 3-3 draws in the top flight. They are ninth on the ladder with just two points thus far. It leaves them seven points off a top-four spot ahead of this weekend's match against Blacktown Spartans.
"They were a tough game in the pre-season where we got up 3-2 but it was close. They are sitting up and looking pretty steady at the moment too," Shaw said.
"That said we need to at least win the next four games to finish round one. We have that as a mini goal and are looking at those four games as 12 points. We will play every game like a Cup final. If we do that we will carry some momentum into the right end of the season too."
The Rays have been knocking on the door of their first win and could have nabbed it in both of their recent draws.
In their latest fixture against the Rams they lead 3-0 at half-time before conceding three times in the second half.
It was the fifth time from as many matches this campaign that the club has conceded three or more goals. Illawarra have now let in the second most goals in 2015 with 20, two less than Central Coast.
Shaw said the blame doesn't just rest at the defenders' feet.
"They are soaking up a lot of pressure. In the first half on the weekend we held great possession but we put ourselves under the pump in the second half. We are giving the other team a lot more ball than they should have, so it is not just the backline making errors," he said.
"We're not valuing the ball as well as we should when we have it. "Defensively our structure has been good, we just need to value the ball better."
Sunday's match will be at Blacktown Sports Park.