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Programme notes 14.03.15

Today sees yet another crucial game in our season after we gave ourselves something of a shot in the arm at Bromley with that very welcome win.

I thought it was a good performance and we deserved the three points. We showed last Saturday what we are capable of doing – and now we’ve got to carry that on to the end of the season.

I was very pleased for the boys – and of course the supporters as well – because we’ve drawn a couple which we probably should have won, so it was nice to get three points.

Matt Godden’s strike grabbed the headlines but it was two good goals in fairness. Adam’s was a good finish and Matty’s one, he just hit it and sometimes they go in, sometimes they go a mile over the stand! I think that shows his confidence at the minute that he’s prepared to have a go from such a distance and he got his rewards from it. He’s worked hard, as have all the squad since they came in, but until last weekend without the rewards they deserved.

But welcome as it all was, we’ve now got nine games to maintain those performance levels.

Today’s game against Maidenhead United will be different. Bromley came at us because they absolutely wanted maximum points and they felt they were capable of getting them – and that works in our favour sometimes, just as it might work in Maidenhead’s today. Obviously, and no disrespect intended, when we play the struggling teams, they might be a bit more patient, so we have to try and break them down and show restraint and patience ourselves. We need to get on the front foot, take our chances and rely on our back line maintaining concentration and solidity.

Maidenhead have got players capable of winning games – striker Dave Tarpey, for example, is in the top scorers in the division. We have all teams watched and every team has one or two key players; you need to keep an eye on them, make sure you do enough to stop them getting in the game and stay on top of them.

But having said that, in the position we’re in now, for us it’s about our levels of performance. We shouldn’t have to worry about the other team. Ensure we’re on our game, then we’re good enough to go out and win it.

Danny Kedwell was touch and go during the week for inclusion – he was due to train on Thursday morning, so you’ll obviously know how that’s panned out from today’s team selection! Dean Rance also took a bit of a knock this week, but Tyrone Marsh was back training this week, which gives us another option going forward. Hopefully we have more players coming back and if Keds and Rancey make it, we have as near enough a full squad to pick from as we can have.

If Keds doesn’t play, Matt Godden’s another option to play alongside Adam Cunnington. But Matt’s done well out on the right – two games, two goals. So he’s getting used to that position. As a player you want to be able to play two or three different types of ways and positions. It helps you individually when a manager is looking at team selections, so Matt’s certainly done well enough to stay out there. Moving him up further is a possible change if we need to, so we’ll look at it, but we don’t want to change too much from the Bromley game where the boys did so well.

Michael West completed his first full week of training and we might have a practice game next week and give the likes of Aiden Palmer and Westy some game time, plus the ones who haven’t played enough recently such as Anthony Acheampong. So with Westy, we’ll know more next week, see where he’s at fitness-wise and see if we can throw him in at some stage.

The lads know they can’t afford slip-ups. We still have teams around us to play so the boys are fully prepared and they will give their all in each game. Please help them do that with your support, as ever, from the terraces.

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