Nuneaton Griff Bench Talk
Saturday 25 October 2003

Welcome to everyone connected with Nuneaton Griff for this late October fixture and my congratulations to the club for their FA Vase victory last weekend which I am certain will have put them in good heart for today's game.

Our last home game was the 5-1 drubbing two weeks ago at the hands of Leamington when I was in Ipswich at my sons wedding. I am told that we missed early chances to take the lead and Leamington made us pay for it with some clinical finishing. The only plus point to be taken from the day was the widely received praise re our hospitality and the quality of the match programme.

An unprecedented situation occurred the following Tuesday with a nightmare 'away day' at Dudley Sports. Five players called off due to work commitments during the course of the day and some of those were at really short notice. This situation was not helped with all the management team unavailable through illness, family or work commitments. At very short notice, Tony Workman, our goalkeeping coach stepped into the breach to run the team, aided by Simon Jones the Reserve Team manager.

They were handed a 'poisoned chalice', that got even worse when a further couple of replacements were delayed at work and the game started with us only having nine players' on the field. Tony also had to take his place between the sticks and then must have wondered what the hell was going on as we stormed into a two goals lead through the debutant Stuart Evans and the seasoned Mark Bellingham. I am told that the first half performance was truly exceptional.

The late arrivals evened the numbers up at half-time but the efforts of the first half clearly caught up with the lads as Dudley applied the pressure, grabbed a goal back and then got a heartbreaking equaliser with only two minutes to go on the clock. Every one of those lads, deserve the highest praise for their performance and commitment, especially as I know that a couple of them were also struggling with injuries. Chris Sheard also made his debut and must have wondered what on earth he had let himself in for.

My special thanks go to Tony and Simon for baling the club out of an untenable position. The result was a huge bonus in the circumstances. Clearly, we as a club have to make every effort to ensure that such a situation does not occur again. We pride ourselves in running 'a good ship' and whatever the work commitments of our players, we cannot allow a re-occurrence of the night's events.

Mark Bellingham is unavailable for this and next weekends' fixtures but Steve Piearce is back in the fold. Darren Carmell is missing due to work and Ross Bate returns between the sticks after a four game absence due to holidays' and work.

Ian Millward and Mickey Hart have both recovered from injury, although I am awaiting a fitness report on Mike Mason. I have some very difficult decisions to make re the starting line-up today in view of the performances of the lads at Dudley Sports. Another newcomer to the fold today is Leon Gilbert who has played Ryman League football and is currently doing his initial training at Ryton.

Three pieces of good news on the injury front. Lee Wharmby has now been given the all clear to resume playing following his cruciate operation and will be available for selection after today. Dayle Speed is expecting to be given the all clear in the next 7-10 days to resume playing following his ankle operation and Neill Tiller has been told that he can expect to be back on a football pitch at the end of the year following his knee operation.

Slowly but surely the injured are returning to the fold. I am also expecting to hear that Mark Langley will be fit in the very near future following his ankle ligament damage that has kept him out for over six weeks. Richard Cox has still got a slight problem with his back although I won't risk him today unless I absolutely have to. Lyndon Price returns from holiday this weekend and will be available for selection for Tuesdays' game away to Rushall Olympic Reserves in the Midweek Floodlit Cup

We now enter a very congested fixture period with nine games in 28 days that includes three different cup competitions. It is crucial that we give ourselves something to play for in the second half of the season.

If the commitment of the lads at Dudley can be carried forward into the forthcoming games, then we have a chance of recovering our early season, although I accept that the Nuneaton Griff lads present a difficult hurdle to overcome.

Enjoy the game.

Jim Scott