Southend United manager Rob Newman was left cursing his team's finishing skills after last night's 1-0 Roots Hall defeat against Carlisle.

Will McDonagh's late goal handed the Cumbrians all three points in the first Roots Hall fixture of the new Third Division season.

But Newman said Blues only had themselves to blame after missing a glut of goal-scoring chances.

"We've created so many opportunities -- we could have scored four or five goals -- but we failed to take any of them," groaned the Shrimpers chief.

"We managed to make 13 chances in the second-half alone and the game should have been put to bed long before Carlisle scored.

"It was a goal which turned out to be their winner, but in reality it should have been nothing more than a consolation strike.

"But we never made our opportunities count and football has a nasty habit of kicking you in the teeth. On this occasion it was all three points going to Carlisle."

Newman refused to condemn his players for this Roots Hall setback.

"I can't have a go at the players as they have worked very hard, they just haven't scored the goals they should have," he added.

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Published Wednesday August 14, 2002

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