Caretakers confident of better times ahead

The EVO-STIK League's Premier Division table might make for depressing reading for Matlock Town fans with their side second bottom and four points from safety but joint interim boss Dave Rushbury reckons they are ready for the tough battles to come, writes Ian Richardson.

Rushbury and veteran midfielder Martin Foster took control of team affairs this week after the weekend resignations of Mark Atkins and his assistant Nick Buxton following the 4-0 home defeat by Halesowen Town.

The new era under the pair began with another defeat, their fourth on the trot in the top flight when Grantham came from behind to win 2-1 in Lincolnshire on Tuesday evening, but Rushbury says he saw enough in a much improved performance to suggest that the Gladiators can get out of trouble.

He said: "If we play like we did tonight we won't be at the bottom of the league. We have to convert that kind of performance by finishing a game off at 1-0 or 1-1. We set the team up to give a reaction after Saturday and in the first half I thought we were outstanding.

"We looked solid at the back, passed the ball crisply and well and landed on the second balls, looking dangerous when we went forward. At set pieces our defending was excellent against a side who rely heavily on their set plays.

"We were okay until twenty minutes into the second half and we have to give the Grantham management credit. They realised they had to change it, it wasn't quite the system which affected us but the change in personnel with the fresh legs."

Rushbury also revealed that he and Foster have already identified a problem which needs speedy rectification.

He said: "The latter part of the second half unfortunately showed for me our lack of both mental and physical fitness in certain areas. That's down to conditioning and we need to address that first and foremost. We've a young squad that needs to learn to see games through."

The former Chesterfield and Alfreton manager was giving little away this week on the vacant manager's post at the Autoworld Arena ahead of the club's trip to Witton Albion on Saturday in the Premier Division.

He added: "The club are advertising it and however long they decide before interviews take place, Martin and me are doing a practical interview if you like. Can we get a reaction out of the lads in every game we play? Can we play to a system that earns us the points we need? Can we credit ourselves for Matlock Town going forward?"

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