News

Keeping everyone happy in the Reserve Team squad is proving to be a big challenge for me this season. I have to try and give everyone equal opportunity to have a run in the side, and it doesn’t help when players who occupy the positions play well enough to keep them. A few lads moan when they are not playing but one who’s attitude has been spot on all season is Squad Captain, Kevin Wagstaff. The form of young Earl Alexander has been excellent and since the opening day of the season it has been good enough to keep Kevin out of the starting line up. Kevin has not once moaned, he has kept his head down and worked hard in training and waited for his chance. Kevin is an excellent example to others.

It’s even more difficult to keep people happy when we have to play 1st team squad members on their way back from injury or suspension, or just generally short of match practise. However, that is one of the benefits of having a Reserve side. It is not just to progress the younger players but is a valuable extension to the 1st team. Some of the lads get disappointed when 1st Teamers come in, but they have to learn to accept it. We also get a steady stream of trialists and although you get an insight in training of their abilities, there is no substitute to seeing someone in a match situation to see if they are good enough to add to the squad. The upshot is that even though certain lads may be playing well in the Reserves, their places are in no-way guaranteed and they need to deal with that situation because, no matter what club they are at, a similar thing will happen.

On the playing front, recent games have seen us put in two of the more disappointing performances of the season. The midweek 1-1 draw with League leaders Bolmere saw us play 5 1st team squad members, and that somewhat disrupted our pattern of play. After a poor first half, it was pleasing to see us improve in the second half to earn the draw.

Last Saturday saw us lose our 1st home game of the season in the Challenge Bowl against an experienced Barwell side. After probably the worst 45 minutes at home all season there was plenty to talk about at half time. Again it was good to see the lads respond in a positive manner and despite us losing the game 2-1, I was much happier after the 2nd half performance (I still hate losing though!)

I will certainly be looking for more consistency over the next few games in the hope that we can play well from the start and not after a grilling at half time!

Gaz Norton
Reserve Team Manager