There were no moral victories or silver linings to take out of Ottawa Fury FC’s home loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies Saturday night.

The usual positive taken out of previous losses in Fury’s inaugural season — that the effort was there, that they were a better or equal side but couldn’t score — didn’t apply in this one, the fourth time Ottawa has been held off the score sheet in eight matches this fall season.

There was no doubt the match against the Rowdies was going to be an uphill battle, with Fury’s back line having been decimated in the week leading up to the contest when Maykon returned to Brazil, Ryan Richter was recalled by Toronto FC and Drew Beckie went down with injury.

But underdogs or not, fans can usually count on seeing a home side that comes out with some fire and desire to win.

That was sorely lacking Saturday and had Fury coach Marc Dos Santos talking changes after training Tuesday.

“The level of intensity we had was very bad,” he said, pointing to the first play of Saturday’s match, in which Tampa took the ball off the opening kick and fed a long diagonal ball into their forward. “(The shot) went completely wide but it set the tone.

He said his squad only picked up the attitude of “hey guys, this is an important game,” when it was already in a 2-0 hole. It didn’t help Ottawa was facing a Tampa Bay team that was playing some good soccer, having won two of its last three, including results against New York and Carolina.

“To play them and to win you need everyone at their best and that didn’t happen,” Dos Santos said.

Dos Santos was blunt when asked if he would soon be bringing in a new player or two to bolster his squad. He said one deal should be completed this week to bring in a new body, while a second deal could be wrapped up next week.

“I want to win,” Dos santos said. “I need to bring guys that are going to make the team win.

“I’m not going to stay in my office saying ‘everything’s OK, I’m going to work with what I have.’ No way.”

With a closed international transfer window meaning Ottawa can only sign players from Canadian clubs or ones who have been without a contract for a year, Dos Santos will look to fill immediate needs, like help on the back end. Other, smaller issues will be tinkered with in the off-season.

The coach hopes the added competition could also serve as motivation for current Fury players.

“Players know that a lot of them are in evaluation for next year,” Dos Santos said. “(If) they want to stay here, they have to prove it every day that they belong here.”

MUSIC DURING PLAY? NO THANKS

The reviews are in for having music played at TD Place during play at Fury FC matches, a concept tested at Saturday’s game.

To say the plan wasn’t well-received would be something of an understatement.

Not sure whose bit of genius that was, but the move drew the ire of everyone from coach to fans. More than a few of the official supporters group members, the ones who are tasked with bringing the noise to matches, called it “bush league,” while Dos Santos said it was insulting to the fans.

The coach said he was so focused on the game that it wasn’t a distraction, but that doesn’t mean he was a fan of the plan.

“I didn’t hear it a lot but my family did,” he said, adding a soccer game was “not the place” to have music blasting during play.

It also drowns out the singing and other noise created by the fans, which provides an in-game experience unique to soccer.

“When I look at our organized fans over there, I feel its more and more colourful, they’re more and more people, they’re growing as a fan base,” he said. “ You have to give the noise to them ... not to Bon Jovi.”

SIDELINES

Dos Santos said nobody felt worse about the mistake made by goalkeeper Romuald Peiser that led to Tampa Bay’s second goal than the Fury keeper himself. Peiser’s clearance attempt was short and landed at the feet of a Rowdies player, with Darel Russell finishing it off with a long, powerful strike. “He knows (it was his mistake) and he’s extremely upset,” said the coach ... Announced attendance was 4,206 Saturday night. Still not as high as everyone would like but hey, the games so far would have all been sellouts at Carleton ... Only the regulars had a full training session Tuesday as the rest of the squad played in a reserves match on Monday.

Twitter: @chrishofley