Frustrated Ian Baraclough blames rustiness as below-par Northern Ireland lose

Ian Baraclough was left frustrated as he blamed rustiness for a below-par performance which saw Northern Ireland start their Nations League campaign with a 1-0 home defeat to Greece.

Tasos Bakasetas got the only goal with 39 minutes gone as Northern Ireland were punished for a flat first half, unable to muster a response after two 34-year-old substitutes, Kyle Lafferty and Niall McGinn, belatedly added some spark in the final half an hour.

It means Northern Ireland remain winless in 11 games since the inception of the Nations League, while Baraclough has only one victory in as many games at Windsor Park in all competitions.

“It’s a disappointing result,” Baraclough said. “I’m looking at the chances for both sides. I thought it was a fairly even game in that respect. They’ve taken theirs from a breakaway after a skirmish in the middle of the park and scored just before half-time which deflates you.”

With a squad of players drawn from different leagues, many of whom have not played a competitive match in several weeks, Baraclough said the fitness levels of his side played a role.

“I thought in the first half you could see a team of players that haven’t played for a little while,” he added. “Not everybody, but there was rustiness, we couldn’t get the first pass away, couldn’t find the through ball, the cohesion and the timing of runs.

“The intensity looked a little low. Some were holding back, not sure if they could make the 90 minutes. In the second half we had more intensity and that gets the crowd going a bit more and it takes us forward more.

“I’d have liked more crossing. I think we turned down crossing, and certainly when you bring a guy like Laff on who thrives on crosses, Dion Charles as well, that’s the impact of