LUCAS KIRKPATRICK
It was with a heavy heart that I accepted Lucas’ request to leave the Club on Tuesday. He has been a fantastic servant to the Club and having nurtured him from the age of 16 I have seen come through the youth team, gain experience on loan at Kempston Rovers and finally establish himself as a 1st team regular. Lucas always gave me 100% effort and has a very professional attitude but I think after his injury last season he was trying too hard to return to form and this affected his quality when in possession of the ball.
I know his confidence will return and it is just a shame that he was unable to do that with us. I wish him the best of luck in the future and thank him for his time with us.
BANBURY UNITED
I felt our first half performance against Banbury was one of our best so far this season. We played the type of football I want us to play in the future but unfortunately we did not take the opportunities that arose from our fluent football. It meant we went in at half time at 0-0 despite having dominated the game.
I have to give credit to Banbury because in the second half they changed both personnel and tactics. This saw them go on the front foot and they scored after 54 minutes although we could have defended this better. The fragility of the team’s psyche was then exposed as we lost our way by not believing in the way we had played in the first half and we resorted to hopeful long balls. This was disappointing as it is important that the players find confidence and believe in themselves and the way we play.
We did fight to the end and Banbury were made to work for their victory in a game I felt we deserved at least a point from.
HARROW BOROUGH
The preliminary round of the Southern League Cup allowed me the opportunity to give fringe players the chance to get vital match minutes and to show me they are ready to challenge for places in the full strength team. I was very happy with certain individual performances that have given me food for thought ahead of Saturday’s game.
I enjoyed the match which saw two teams going all out for victory. Harrow are a very good side and it was end to end stuff with neither team deserving to lose. It went to a penalty shoot- out and we saw four clinical well despatched penalties which gave us the victory.
GODMANCHESTER ROVERS
We have a very important match on Saturday as we face Godmanchester in the F A Cup in what is sure to be a very tricky game. They are in a good vein of form and will come to Top Field with nothing to lose. We will need to show them the utmost respect and approach the game with a very professional attitude and concentration levels will need to be at an absolute maximum.
We have had Godmanchester watched twice and they have a number of players who have played at Southern League level. I really want to have an F A Cup run this season but we will have to work really hard to progress on Saturday.
MARK BURKE