Last Saturday’s defeat at Bradford (Park Avenue) was really disappointing. Mark Bower’s team deserve credit for working their socks off for 90 minutes but I don’t think that we would have scored if we were still playing now and we need to get back to where we were a couple of weeks ago and I think that we will.
I don’t think that it was as bad as our 3-0 defeat at Leamington at the start of the year, but it was certainly one of our worst performances.
We’ve not had much luck with wingers this season and that continued in the first half at the Horsfall Stadium as John Johnston pulled a hamstring and whilst it’s always difficult to say how long he will be out for, hopefully it will not be too long and JJ will tell us when he is ready to return.
JJ is a big player for us and sometimes you only realise how important a player is when he’s not there.
We have brought in Ethan Walker from Preston North End on a youth loan until the end of the season. He is a fast and direct winger who likes taking players on and can beat his full back on either side. He is only 17, but they have got very high hopes for him at Preston and expect him to be challenging for a first team place at Deepdale next season.
Ethan provides cover whilst JJ is out, but also gives us more wide attacking options when JJ returns as well.
We are recalling Curtis Miller from Trafford after today – he can’t play at Farsley as he is Trophy-tied, but will be available for Tuesday night’s home game against Telford, which will take place providing today’s tie in West Yorkshire doesn’t end in a draw. Curtis is a special talent and has done well at Trafford and we think that now is the right time to bring him back.
There are also a couple of midfield players that we are currently looking at to possibly bring in on loan, one at a National League club and the other with a Championship club.
We are back in Cup action today with yet another away draw at Farsley Celtic in the FA Trophy 1st Round. Farsley are a well-drilled, organised outfit with a threat up front and play 3-5-2, but we beat them comfortably in September in the league game at home and we really want to progress in this competition to Monday’s National draw for the last 32.
Photography: Michael Ripley
