SERIAN: Sri Aman FA team manager, Alfred Kendim, admitted his team struggled against Serian’s pace and Paul Sambang’s hat-trick but praised his new players.
Alfred said Serian’s experience was the biggest difference on the night, noting how Paul’s clinical finishing set the tone.
“Player experience makes the difference in every match. We saw how an experienced player like Paul Sambang could score a hat-trick – that’s the difference,” he said after the match at Stadium MD Siburan on Saturday.
He acknowledged Serian’s fast, organised style of play forced Sri Aman into a difficult opening spell.
“Serian dominated the match well. Their passes were accurate, and the tempo was very fast, making us look overwhelmed early on,” he added.
Despite the defeat, Alfred said he was encouraged by the impact of Sri Aman’s three new signings.
“I see improvement in the team. The arrival of three new players gave us a boost and fresh energy,” he said.
Sri Aman were also without two key players who were serving suspensions.
“If we had our two key players, the match would have been more competitive. But because of the yellow-card suspensions, they had to sit out,” he explained.
With Sri Aman still inside the top four, Alfred said the team must now regroup and focus on their next clash.
“We are still in the top four, but from here on, we must work harder. Winning is a bonus, losing is normal, what matters is the effort in training,” he said.
Alfred remains hopeful his refreshed squad can bounce back.
“We have new motivation, so we’ll do our best to secure full points in the next match,” he said.
Sri Aman will travel to face Sarikei FA at the Sarikei Sports Complex on November 29 in a crucial showdown.
