Continental Star Bench Talk
7 February 2004

A warm welcome to everyone connected with Continental Star for today's game at Tally Ho. Unfortunately, I miss the game due to family commitments in Scotland and leave the side in the 'reliable' hands of Neill Hornby for the day.

Our last two games have resulted in draws at home to Rugby Town and away to Feckenham. Both were exciting encounters and points well earned by us. The pleasing thing for me was the fight and spirit we showed, which was exemplified by the last minute equalisers we grabbed in both games.

The Rugby game was a see-saw encounter with John Adams chipping their goalkeeper from 20 yards after 10 minutes. Rugby applied increasing pressure as the half wore on without finding the necessary finish. However, within minutes of the second half commencing they equalised and shortly afterwards took the lead.

We battled back into the game and John Adams scored his second of the match when he cut inside a defender 20 yards out and slotted the ball past the keeper into the corner of the net. It was end to end stuff and Rugby looked to have stolen all three points when they took the lead in the 88th minute. The best was yet to come when Mark Bellingham controlled a 30 yard pass from Richard Cox and drilled a tremendous dipping 35 yard shot into the top corner of the net in the 90th minute.

Last week saw us travel to Redditch United's ground to take on Feckenham who scored as early as the 4th minute. They put us under pressure for about another 10 minutes but we slowly but surely got the upper hand and were very unfortunate not to be level by half-time.

The second period of the game was almost totally dominated by ourselves as we applied increasing pressure and played our best football of the season. Some of it was delightful and even Dave 'Snap' Butterworth was 'cooing' about our performance. It was all looking like it would be to no avail until Niku Sira latched onto a through ball into the box and struck it past the Feckenham keeper in the very last minute. It really would have been a travesty if we had come away with nothing four our endeavours. It is not often that I single out any individual for praise, however, Richard Adams was simply quite outstanding for us. All round the team everyone played their part.

Following the Rugby Town game Andy Reece resigned from his player/manager role following discussions with myself. Andy stated that he could not give the necessary full commitment needed to the role due to a combination of family and work commitments and that he was therefore reluctantly standing down. He also stated that whilst wishing to remain as a player, those same commitments would mean a lessening of his availability in the future.

Andy has a huge personality and has a tremendous love of the game but after 500 games in professional football and a further eight years in non-league football with the police he has decided that he wants to spend more time with his family. It was obvious to both of us that his family and work commitments were having a significant effect upon his football involvement and it was clear that he could not provide the necessary support to me in his player/manager role. I am delighted to say that subject to those family commitments Andy will make himself available on a 'as and when' basis as a player for the remainder of the season, however, Andy's difficulty will be retaining a decent level of fitness to make himself competitive, when available'.
The dressing room at Tally Ho, will certainly be a quieter place without Andy's boundless energy and enthusiasm and his leadership on the pitch will also be sadly missed.

Strikers Mark Bellingham and Steve Piearce along with midfielder Mike Mason have all been selected in the recently announced English Police squad for the forthcoming home international against Wales which will take place at the home of Port Vale on Thursday 19 February, 2pm k.o.

Mark Bellingham makes a welcome return to the squad following his lengthy absence from the game due to a cruciate knee injury. I am particularly delighted for Mark who has shown tremendous strength of character to fight back from his second cruciate knee injury in four years and deservedly earn selection. He was a regular in the starting line-up before his injury and I hope that he earns a shirt in the first eleven.

Mike Mason who despite a difficult time with injuries this year finds himself retained in the squad. It is to be hoped that he gets sufficient match practice within the next two weeks as he has just been given the all clear to play again following a six week absence with a hamstring strain. Unfortunately, work commitments prevent his inclusion today.

Striker Steve Piearce will undoubtedly be delighted at being selected for the squad at the first opportunity since joining the police service nine months ago. You never know, we might see the dynamic duo of Bellingham and Piearce leading the line for the English Squad in two weeks time.

Just a reminder, we don't have a game next Saturday and you're next opportunity to cheer the lads on is the away game at Shifnal on Saturday 21st.

Enjoy the game.

Jim Scott