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Town Assistant Peter Shirtliff keeps you up to date with the week's goings on at The County Ground.
This week, he surveys the effects of a boggy 0-0 draw, and goes over the preparation for this weekend's crunch local derby......
It was difficult game at Orient last weekend so Danny decided to give the players a bit of a sweetener with a day off on MONDAY.
The pitch at The Matchroom Stadium was pretty bad, particularly down one side and it took quite a lot out of the players so I think it was right they took some time off before starting the week's training.
Danny and I were in the office while the boys were off, and carried on looking around and making phone calls with a view to bringing in a few loan players.
I'd like to think we're making little bits of progress, but it is difficult because not everyone you would like to get in is available so it's a question of making the calls and hoping one or a couple will come off, which is what we will continue doing.
We cracked on on TUESDAY and the boys looked sharp and bright so hopefully we can take that into the match against Rovers at the weekend.
There was a lot of quite specific work done on individual defending methods and things like that so it was quite a hard session.
But the lads got stuck in and enjoyed it which was great to see.
Some of the first team boys got a run out in the 3-0 win against Bournemouth at Hungerford Town.
Danny and I were off on scouting missions so we didn't see it, but the reports were very, very good and the boys that are on the fringe have shown a great attitude to go out there and play the way they did.
That was great to hear because the substitutes have contributed very well to the games they've come on in, and that's what you've got to have because it's not just an 11 man thing.
We've got 18 players stripped and ready every Saturday and if we make a substitution we expect them to be ready to go out there and pick up the mantle.
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| Hopefully it will be a good game, a good atmosphere and we will come away with another three points...... |
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| Shirtliff looks forward Rovers derby clash |
I had a day off on WEDNESDAY because I'd done a lot of driving the previous night and wanted to take it easy the day after!
I don't think Danny had the day off, but even though I did I was still on the phone quite regularly, but that's just the nature of it all.
I watched the England game against Egypt, and I thought they played quite well, especially in the second half.
It was interesting because I was watching it on TV but listening to the Radio Five Live commentary, and sometimes you do wonder whether you're watching the same game!
I know football is a game of opinions, but I do find it strange sometimes.
Back to the club, and it was a good and sharp session on THURSDAY as well and the boys looked encouragingly bright.
The training pitch is drying out a bit now which is nice because we don't have to worry about the conditions so much, which really helped us this week.
We've just returned from FRIDAY's session on what was a crisp morning, and despite a bit of an overnight frost, the pitch wasn't too hard so we managed to get a few things done with Rovers in mind tomorrow.
As far as the game tomorrow is concerned, it's going to be a bit more charged with the local rivalry in mind of course!
I played in a few derbies during my time as a player and I always remember those sorts of atmospheres.
I know a lot of people will look forward to local derbies more than any other games, but personally I just look at it as another game.
It will be a tough game tomorrow, and obviously everyone remembers the 3-0 defeat and their place back in December.
I am looking forward to it in the sense that it will be a bigger crowd than normal because it'll be nice to play in front of a full County Ground, so hopefully it'll be a good atmosphere, a good game, and we'll get three points.
See you there,
Peter Shirtliff
