BRONX, N.Y. — David Ousted’s demanding more dirty work.

The Whitecaps (3-5-2) finally got a goal from striker Octavio Rivero and even scored twice on the road Saturday. But they still lost, 3-2 to New York City (2-3-4) at Yankee Stadium, because they didn’t get the details right.

“Defensively as a team we haven’t been good enough,” said Ousted, the Caps’ goalkeeper. “We’re not doing the small and — excuse my language — the s****y side of the soccer ball well enough. Tracking back. Sticking into tackles. These things.

“That’s something we need to assess, because 15 goals (conceded) in 10 games isn’t good enough to get to where we want to get to.”

Ousted said he’ll have to take another look at the winning goal from Steven Mendoza. He was beaten to his near post, which never looks good, although the runner-up for MLS goalkeeper of the year had little help from Sam Adekugbe on the play.

There are always mistakes, of course. You can pick apart every goal and find fault as much as credit. But the Caps have made some uncharacteristic errors of late.

Mid-week at home, it was Tim Parker throwing K.C. a lifeline with a poor back pass. At Yankee Stadium, it was sure-footed Andrew Jacobson with a bad turnover.

Saturday, they had the added challenge of a defensive shuffle as Carl Robinson rested his regular fullbacks and Kendall Waston was serving a one-game ban.

“It’s something we have to look at,” said Robinson. “Obviously we made some changes today, because it’s three games in a week and you need to. I think individually we’re not as concentrated as we need to be and our errors are costing us. And when that happens you’re always searching for those answers. Individually, collectively, we need to be better.”

His hope is that with a more settled lineup the Caps will again be one of the toughest teams in MLS to break down.

They have an enviable defensive spine with Ousted, Waston and Matias Laba, and there’s not been huge changes from last season.

They traded Gershon Koffie to New England, and Robinson’s more willing this season to sacrifice a second defensive midfielder for an extra attacking player at home.

Steven Beitashour was traded to Toronto but, after a shaky opening game, Fraser Aird has done well, and improved consistently.

“Last year is last year,” said veteran centre-back Pa-Modou Kah, who started in place of Waston on Saturday.

“We can’t rely on what happened last season. We’ve conceded goals that me, and the rest of the guys, should be better on, absolutely.

“We want to defend. We want to keep clean sheets. If a world-class striker (like David Villa on Saturday) gets a sniff, he’s going to score. But it’s a long season and we have to keep on grinding and have the faith and the confidence.”

And, according to their goalkeeper, they must have more desire to do all the stuff that doesn’t make the scoresheet.

The Caps’ obvious gripe with referee Sorin Stoica on Saturday was the pick play that helped New York City score the 2-1 goal, a beauty volley from David Villa off a corner.

“Give them credit,” said Caps’ coach Carl Robinson. “Great play from NYCFC. They set a pick (on Matias Laba), but we were told at the start of the year that will be free kicks against you.”

Caps’ goalkeeper David Ousted, though, was more peeved about something else. He said Stoica was over the top in rushing the Caps to put the ball into play, which Ousted felt favoured the home team.

“I was disappointed with him trying to pressure us,” said Ousted. “Our job as the away team is to try to dictate the tempo of the game and from minute 10 he was going to his pocket and threatening us with yellow cards for delay of game and I think that’s a mistake.

“But not taking anything away from NYCFC. I thought they played well. They scored three goals and that’s why they won.”

mweber@postmedia.com

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