MID Coast's inexperience is evident when they play the strong teams in the Northern NSW Women's Premier League football fixtures.
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Coach Mandi Langlar said this after her side was beaten 7-0 by Maitland at Taree. Langlar rates Maitland as the best combination in the league. Maitland won the first round clash 15-0.
"We have to get more consistent,'' Langlar said.
"We're slower at doing things and that's where we get caught out. We have young players coming up from the youth grades, not just coming into first grade, but against a Maitland side that is the best in competition by a fair way.
"A lot of the Maitland players have been together for a number of years. We had a Central Coast Mariner against us and Bronte Peel, who played in the US college system.
"It's a different quality to what our kids are used to playing against.''
Langlar is confident her side is on the right path and Mid Coast continues to improve.
"I have no doubt that we will be more competitive next year, but at the moment, facing these teams is a real learning curve and our players are treating it as such,'' she said.
Rebuild
The club was forced to rebuild this season after losing up to 12 of the 2023 roster. Of the current first grade squad only two had first grade experience going into the season.
"But I think we'll only lose one player next year and we blooded a couple of under 17s in first grade against Maitland. There wasn't a goal scored while they were on the park, so they did really well,'' she said.
Langlar said Jaz Trafford was excellent against Maitland.
"Jaz usually plays in the midfield or the forward line, but one of our fullbacks was away, so filled in there against Sophie Stapleford, one of the best players in the competition,'' Langlar said.
"I thought she did a tremendous job and reduced Sophie's input dramatically.''
She added that goal keeper Grace Davies has been strong all season in a times difficult circumstances.
"Grace is a fantastic keeper,'' Langlar said.
"She is one of the best in the competition. At the moment she's behind a very inexperienced team but very few of the goals we've conceded was because of a mistake Grace has made.''
Mid Coast heads back to Newcastle next Sunday to tackle Charletown, a side they haven't met in the competition this season to to deferred games.