Crossword Genius

Home team in Conference losing first half (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

residence

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'home' is the definition.
(I know that home can be written as residence)

'team in conference losing first half' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'team' could be 'side' (both can mean a sports team) and 'side' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for residence that I've seen before include "Dire scene (anag.)" , "Person's home" , "Place or house where one lives" , "The White House" , "flat, say" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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