Allen and Dodd return to lift the Green Lions
SKIPPER Jamie Dodd and star striker Ross Allen are both back in the starting side for GFC’s home league clash against Whitstable Town tonight.
Dodd is over his brief suspension and Allen has thrown off his tight hamstring to, hopefully, spark something more enlivening in the attacking third after Saturday’s sterile goalless draw.
Self confidence to play good, enterprising football is key to success, said the Green Lions’ boss Tony Vance yesterday.
‘We are home and we have got to trust ourselves to beat these teams.’
Whitstable arrive with a very decent away record this season, four wins and just two defeats.
Vance estimates that the clubs’ head-to-head is about 50-50, but he expects Whistable to be tough.
‘They are coached well and always a difficult quantity. They’ve got good strikers too,’ said Vance.
‘They are in and around the play-off group and we will have our work cut out to win and we may have to play ugly if the team tries to stop us playing.’
Vance, meanwhile, found time to pay tribute to the work of retiring Rovers coach Jez Robin, even though his own side has made life more testing and frustrating for the successful Port Soif coach this season by attracting a number of players who are keen to play at Isthmian level.
One of those players, Tyler McKane, could well start tonight in the absence of Frank Tobin and suspended right-back Keanu Marsh.
‘Tyler is knocking on the door and fair play to him and Louis [Graham] for sticking at it.
‘The mark of success is that your team wins a couple of Priaulx League titles and then your players are wanting to go on to the next level at GFC.’
Vance was not able to conform his full squad until after training last night, but long-term injury victim Thomas Dodds is expected to be included.
