September 9, 2022...Nash Calls For Upturn in Home Form With Three Successive Games on the Horizon at York Lions Stadium (from York United FC website)

September 9, 2022...Nash Calls For Upturn in Home Form With Three Successive Games on the Horizon at York Lions Stadium
(from York United FC website)

NASH CALLS FOR UPTURN IN HOME FORM WITH THREE SUCCESSIVE GAMES ON THE HORIZON AT YORK LIONS STADIUM

Meanwhile, Osaze De Rosario believes play-offs are still within reach.

Head Coach Martin Nash is concerned about his side’s struggles at York Lions Stadium ahead
of tonight’s showdown with FC Edmonton.

This season, six clubs - HFX Wanderers, Cavalry FC, Valour FC, Forge FC, Pacific FC and Atletico Ottawa,
have left the venue with wins.

On home soil, the record has been three wins, two draws, and six losses in 11 home matches
and that has left The Gaffer less enthused.

"I think we're better on the road than we are at home, which is not something you want to be,"
Nash said at his pre-match conference.

"You want to make your home field a fortress so we've got to find a way to do that for the future
and why not start now with three home games on the chart against teams that are around us in the league?
And if we want to be a top team, we've got to beat these types of teams when they come to our place.
It's never going to be easy but we've got to beat the teams around us if we want to be at the top
of the table in future."

Midfielder Isaiah Johnston boosted his chances making an injury return after training with his
teammates this week. The mercurial talent has missed the last four matches and should start from
the bench. Also on the mend is Mateo Hernandez, though the Argentine is not available just yet.

York United have shown massive improvements in their last three matches but Nash says beating
the Eddies won’t be easy.

"They're a young enthusiastic team. They are tough to break down and you need to break them down
and score goals to get them out of their shell. They are good in transition, they've got athletes
who can run so it's a difficult task. But if you stay organized and move the ball quickly that's
the key to beating them," he added.

"I think we want to be a little bit more solid defensively, get a bit more collective sometimes
in our pressure and the other day I talked to them about how to start games like we end games.
We've been ending games fantastically but we've not been starting games great so we've been
giving up leads and then coming back and beating teams so I want them to come out and take the
lead and hold on to the lead. I think that's the next step for us."

Meanwhile, in-form striker Osaze De Rosario is still not ruling out a postseason spot for the club.

The 21-year-old grabbed his 10th league goal of the season in last weekend's 3-1 impressive away
win against Pacific FC and he's tied for second-place in the Golden Boot race with Forge FC’s
Woobens Pacius. Departed Alejandro Diaz, transferred by Pacific FC to Norwegian top-flight side
Sogndal last month [August], continues to top the chart with 13 goals.

"The playoffs is still our goal," DeRo said after Saturday's victory.

"Nobody is taking their foot off the gas and it's still very possible. There's no impossibility
in this game of football."

Osaze also admitted his game is seeing some improvements following the arrival of Mo Babouli
who has been a marquee mid-season signing.

‘‘It's actually been very, very good,’’ the youngster said.

"It's a learning moment for me because he's more experienced and the way he moves, I gotta make
counter movements towards him. I have to complement his game because he's able to complement
mine. He's able to score goals and I'm able to score goals and we are just complementing each
other and moving forward we're gonna build a bigger bond. We're gonna trust each other even
more and we need to keep it going. I feel like me and him are creating even a bigger bond
on the pitch and it shows more by scoring games back-to-back."
OPPONENT WATCH:

Edmonton have 16 points and are on a three-match unbeaten streak with one win and two draws.

Alan Koch’s men have eight defeats and four draws from 12 matches away from home.

Defender Cale Loughrey is suspended for the match after accumulating his first four yellows.

The Eddies, bottom of the league classification, are chasing their first away win of the season.

Ridwan Ibrahim Asante

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