Friendly not ideal for Grantham

After another weekend without a game, the Gingerbreads joint managers tried to get things back into a normal routine by setting up a midweek friendly against Barrow Town.

The move almost backfired on Jimmy Albans and Wayne Hallcro and let them hoping to get back into proper match action this weekend. With the weather forecast for Saturday not looking too helpful for Saturdays’ game against New Mills, Albans may get even more frustrated than he is now.

“In some ways the friendly on Tuesday did not give us what we wanted.” Albans said. “The conditions turned very poor in the second half. In fact, if it was a league game, it would probably have been abandoned. It was almost unplayable. We got minutes into everyone, but with hindsight, I am not 100% sure it was the right thing to have done. We picked up three injuries, all of which are doubtful to some degree for Saturday. Jamie McGhee is doubtful with a ankle knock. Damien Magee is very doubtful with a calf pull, as is Sean Cann with a hamstring strain.”

Concentrating on the effect on the team on the pitch, fellow joint manager Hallcro had firm ideas on how his team need to start correctly in their next game.

“An element of rustiness can creep in when we have had games called off.” Hallcro said. “The momentum that we build up with a regular Saturday game is disrupted and it seems to take us a while to get it back again. It is getting to the stage of the season where we can’t allow that to happen. Saturday is important for us to get early touches of the ball. If you watch a top game these days, hardly anyone goes long from the kick off. The ball is played around, everyone gets a touch and it settles people into the routines. It we do that and get on top of them in the last third, we will do OK. We need to get in possession early and keep the ball. If we don’t have it we need to be hunting in packs to get it. If we do that, we give ourselves not only more chance of winning and keeping the ball, but better options when we do win it. We didn’t do this very well in the game against Barrow and pointed that out to the players.”

As much as he recognised that it is a team game, Hallcro was also at pains to point out that there is an individual side to it a s well and that is just as important in winning the game.

“As individuals, we don’t want to let people get on top of us. We need to get off to the right start by winning our battles, winning the ball and keeping it when we have got it. We want to start with our front three putting pressure on New Mills, but we need to be a bit cuter on the pitch with our individual tactical choices. Everyone knows how we want them to play and what we do if things want changing. We don’t always see everything from the bench and if a player sees something themselves, they can take responsibility and talk it and do what needs doing.”

New Mills themselves have had a disrupted start to 2012, only playing two league games so far. Their first season at this level sees them sitting comfortably in the middle of the table.

We haven’t had the chance to see what New Mills are up to recently.” Hallcro said. “We haven’t seen them since we played there earlier in the season. We know they will be no pushovers. We need to win to keep the pressure up at the top of the table. We generally fell that if we do our individual jobs well, it will come together as a team. Doing our jobs right gives us the best chance of getting the three points. The crowds at recent home games have been great. It gives the lads a lift to have good numbers cheering them on. Knowing that there is that sort of support gives everyone a boost. It would be great to have the same sort of numbers again and hopefully we can put on a better show of football for them.”