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Jones: We still have complete faith in the players (
November 22, 2009)
Atrocious pitch, atrocious weather, an injury list that seems to be growing as opposed to shrinking but all this does is mask an unacceptable 45 minutes at Steyning last week that was our worst display of football away from home this season.
We were without Dave Henan, Carl Morris, Dan Foster, Andy Garman, Martin Brain, Jamie Podmore and myself through injury. And although we saw the return of David Miller, Pete Baker, Sean Smith, Kingsley Parsons and Tony, all are still short of match fitness, which was something that showed on a stodgy pitch as the game developed.
We have five keepers signed on but found ourselves in a position when none were available for selection for various reasons. Consequently, on top of the injury list we found ourselves losing Adam Hurley who was forced between the sticks.
Was it the best of situations? No of course not and I’d be lying if I said Tony and I haven’t found it tough over the last month or so, but even so, both we and the players know that the lack of urgency and quality that we displayed in the second was the main reason for another three points drift away.
It was a terrible game played in terrible conditions and one in which we should have come away with all the points, irrespective of the calibre of performance we put in. Three guilt edge chances went begging but if I’m honest we didn’t produce enough in that second half to deserve the win.
At times like this, when confidence is low and as a team you are only delivering in pockets of play, then it’s grit and determination that gets you through. We know we are good enough, we know we have the quality in the side, but it’s now time to deliver, with Tony and myself challenging the players to step up to the plate and show what we’re made of when the chips are down.
I have faith in this group of players. As I said the season isn’t shaped in the first ten games of the season, it’s formed from the middle ten, the period we find ourselves in now. If we have aspirations of a top three finish and breaking the 60 point barrier then it’s time to start delivering before it’s too late and we leave ourselves too much work to do.
On a separate note, it’s great to welcome back Fossie to the side. What he did this week for the club was phenomenal and he should be incredibly proud of the achievement.
Baldy and the Beak.
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