News

The Moatmen have taken just one point from the last nine available and have slipped off the pace at the top of the Unibond Division One. Manager Gary Norton is convinced that a turnaround in fortunes is due and is hoping that it may start this weekend.

He said: "We haven't had the best of times recently but it's important we remain positive and look to put things right. We've started to concede more goals of late than we have all season and the key to turning things round is getting back to basics defensively. I don't just mean the back four but the team as a whole. We need to be working our socks off in all departments to stop other teams getting as many chances and then make sure we put ours away at the other end. That is something we haven't been doing lately. If you look at the stats from our latest league games we have created way more chances than our opponents but we haven't been taking them and when you couple that with us not defending how we have been then we need to look no further than that for the root of our problems."

In team news Dale Belford should be fit to play despite picking up a slight thigh strain on his return to action in last week's FA Trophy game at Tamworth. Norton said: "Dale's back came through fine but he did pick up a slight pull early in the game. He's had treatment this week and we are confident that it will be ok. The pleasing thing from our perspective is that he had no reaction to his back injury after last weeks game so we will see how he goes over our next few."

Jamie Hood continues his suspension, which will also see him miss Tuesday's Derbyshire Senior Cup Semi Final home tie against Glossop North End and also next weekend's trip to Warrington. Chris Freestone returns to the squad after missing last week's game due to him sitting his UEFA B exams.