IT is one thing to come up with one good performance and it is another to do it consistently in the Football Mid North Coast Premier League.
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That’s the battle facing Port Saints as they prepare for Saturday’s home clash with Camden Haven at Findlay Park.
After knocking off last year’s premiers Wallis Lake in round one, Saints face the ever-consistent Redbacks who sat out the first week.
The Redbacks have been one of the more consistent teams in the league over the last five years.
They have appeared in the last three successive grand finals, but are yet to come away with success and have a new man in charge.
After several years at the helm, Simon Hancox has handed over the reigns to Jim Tredinnick in a new-look side who are believed to have just a handful of their grand final side remaining.
Saints coach John Goodman knows the challenge for his side in round two is coming up with a similar performance to the one seven days ago.
“We have to stay grounded,” Goodman said.
“That’s the most important thing for us. Consistency is the biggest thing and that’s what we have to work on because I don’t want us to be up and down all the time.
“You’ve got to be able to do it week in, week out.”
Saints have the benefit of having the self-proclaimed pessimist in charge of them.
“We’re very upbeat and are we fully confident? I’ve got a bit of a pessimistic attitude which can be a good thing and a bad thing,” he said.
Midfielder Patty Hamilton made an impression in the 3-1 win on the opening day, scoring the first and last goals.
The 18-year-old celebrated his birthday on Anzac Day and Goodman was looking forward to his continued development after a quiet first half last week.
“He has always been a good player and he came out of his shell in the second half,” the coach said.
“A few of the teams in the competition know who he is because he’s played in the NPL in Newcastle for the last couple of years.
“He’s a Wauchope boy too, so he’s one that probably slipped through the cracks.”
Saints have a busy preparation for the match with an FFA Cup fixture against Taree Wildcats on Thursday night to navigate their way through.
“It gives us another chance to work on a few things,” Goodman said.
The Saints coach said it would take a few weeks before all the teams in the competition recognised how each other was going to play.
He is trying not to get too carried away with the first-up success.
“The whole first round is going to be a bit of an unknown for us and I haven’t watched local football for the last couple of years.
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