Rivers Angels manager, Edwin Okon has admitted that his side played badly in their first away victory of the on-going top-flight at neighbours, Ibom Angels.
The Jewels of Rivers piped hosts, Ibom Angels 1-0 in Wednesday’s Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership matchday 5 clash at the Practice Pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Defender, Jennifer Oliver gifted the Port Harcourt side the vital goal in the 69th minute of the hotly contested encounter.
Okon said despite the below par average performance of his wards he is more than happy with the side’s away points in the five-week old NWFL Premiership.
“Three points is at stake in this encounter and it’s not easy to pick an away points in the NWFL Premiership.
“I’m happy with the victory because the league is very competitive and strong so a win in such a league is not a child’s play.
“I can say outright that we played badly and won that’s what happened to my team today (Wednesday).
“However, at the end of the day I’m happy with the whole three points in my kitty,” said the former Nigerian coach.
Okon said he was calm throughout the match because he has already passed the needed instructions to his wards.
“I have done and finished my work prior to the match theirs is to step onto the pitch to execute the instructions.
“At that point I do not need to pester them further they know what is at stake, they know what the team wanted and at that level they should think of what the team want and deliver,” said the multiple decorated coach.
Okon praised his substitutes for justifying their inclusion in the game though the entire team played poorly.
“Like I said early I played badly and won, a good team wins from the bench that’s what happened today.
“We won the match from the bench as those that came in from the bench were the players that usually start the match but today they started from the bench.
“Good or bad, they did their best and we won and I’m happy about it.
“We have seen off this match I’m going straight to the drawing back to work out strategies that will help us in subsequent matches.
“Yes, we have serious work to do to avoid struggling to win matches in the future,” said Okon.
The Garden City landladies are second on the 14-team NWFL Premiership log on 11 points one behind league leaders, Bayelsa Queens.
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