Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi has called on his side to be more focused after losing the lead twice in Saturday's 3-3 draw with the Newcastle Jets.
Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi has called on his side to be more focused after losing the lead twice in Saturday's 3-3 draw with the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park.
Heart went two goals up after five minutes in hot conditions before the visitors fought back to level the contest at 2-2 in the second half.
Richard Garcia restored Heart's lead in the 71st minute, before Ryan Griffiths' penalty with three minutes to go handed Newcastle a share of the points.
"It's hard to take," Aloisi told reporters after the match.
"The first half was working so well. The way we were playing, the way we were set up. Not only the two goals, but we could have had a few more.
"Newcastle didn't really change anything, but we just lost our shape, lost our way.
"They started to play around us a lot and, you know what it's like, in this heat, the opposition has a lot of the ball and when you win it back you've got no energy to then play.
"We were actually lucky to go back up in the second half and make it 3-2 because that was really the only chance we had.
"We dropped too deep and too much space in the midfield just makes it too easy for the opposition.
"It was disappointing because the first half was good. That was we wanted to do. That was what we worked on during the week.
"We just have to make sure we stay focused and concentrate for 90 minutes, not for 45."
Alosi was at a loss to explain the second-half slump, which saw goals from substitute Craig Goodwin and Ruben Zadkovich level the game for the Jets at 2-2.
"I'm not sure, it's hard to put a finger on it," he said.
"Maybe it was too easy for them. I've been in games like that that you feel you're 2-0 up, it's easy, and you stop doing those little things that made it work in the first half.
"Players stop making that effort to close down the ball or let a player get past them too easily and it can happen. But it's happened too many times so far this year.
"It's easy to say now that it's concentration or focus, but there are also defensive errors in there.
"I'm not talking just about the back four, I'm talking about the whole team structure.
"It must be frustrating for the fans. It's frustrating for me and it's frustrating for the players because they don't want to lose or draw a game like that."
Following the draw, Heart are provisionally eighth on the ladder, two points above bottom-placed Sydney FC, who they face next week at Allianz Stadium.
"We have to work on it and make sure we get it right," Aloisi said.
"It doesn't matter who we play, we're going to create chances because we've got good players.
"We've got good players going forward. Our structure is good, but we have to make sure we're there for 90 minutes and at the moment we're not."