Lopo’s View

Things are certainly looking up at the newly named Lamex stadium! We are on a twelve match unbeaten run and finally looking like we could be general promotion contenders but are the games in hand that teams around us have going to scorn our superb late form. The squad is looking good with dead slowly being removed from the squad and players like Drury and Bridges impressing since getting a run in the team. With Steve Morison set to leave in the summer especially if promotion is not achieved goals will have to come from somewhere else and there have been a few games where Moro hasn’t been the only player on the score sheet.

It’s been a little while since my last view and the squad has changed quite a bit. I was talking about lowering expectations at Broadhall Way but the recent upturn in form has certainly given supporters more hope but we have to realise that we have 15 games remaining and to seriously be considered as promotion candidates we will need to win most of them. Unless teams like Kettering, Torquay and Wrexham lost most of their games in hand we may have to accept that a realistic finish will be between 8^th and 11^th. We’ve certainly come along way since Grays at home in December where I left early for the first time after a half hearted and disappointing performance. A spirited draw away to Oxford and a good home win to Rushden really turned over a page and we look a more balanced team than we did previously.

Taking a point away to Cambridge was also deserved although we left it late as the rivalry seems to grow and grow.  Following a late equaliser for Rushden on New Year ‘s Day we have won 5 straight games and seem to be playing a lot better football. Two easy and convincing wins over Lewes and Barrow have shown good strength at home and a dominating cup win over Farnborough and win away to Salisbury have shown we can control games away from home and in the Salisbury game show good determination too. Kettering was a game that was difficult to call pre match after Kettering’s heroics on the previous Saturday against Fulham they made several changes and dominated a poor first half. Their goal just before half time spurred us on in the second half and we deservedly equalised and then won it through hardworking Peter Vincenti’s goal 6 minutes before the end. Vincenti has never been top of GW’s list of midfielders and the arrival of Murphy and form of Bostwick and Bridges I expected him to be on his way this month but good form in the reserves and HSC has given PV another chance to impress GW.

Defensively we look so much stronger at the back with Albrighton and Roberts showing a good partnership. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Albrighton when he first came here but since Ronnie Henry’s surprising and successful move to right back him and Roberts have prospered and look set to continue that partnership for the rest of the season. With the midfield looking stronger with Bridges and Bostwick my preferred two, surely  time has to be almost up for Gary Mills who for me has never looked comfortable and with Murphy and Vincenti impressing I cannot see why Westley could seriously choose him even on the bench ahead of them. With McMahon going earlier this month and John Martin still a possibility to go I was unsure whether we would have enough creativity in midfield but Andy Drury and David Bridges in my opinion have settled in very well with a good run of games and I hope that continues.

Boylans injury doesn’t seem to be looking too good after the ridiculous tackle by Barrow’s midfielder Bond couple of weeks ago. With Willock as backup GW has still decided to use Mitchell Cole up front alongside Morison which I have always thought Cole should be considered up front more regularly when Boylan was injured earlier in the season. With January coming to a close I am expected a couple of loan signings to complete the squad and with Luke Oliver joining Wycombe John Ashton would be perfect to replace him as cash strapped Grays look keen to sell. It won’t be easy for Ashton if he did join with form of Roberts and Albrighton but as he showed at BHW earlier this season he is as good as they get in the Blue Square Premier.

An exciting 3 months left of the season could bring anything up especially in the playoffs situation with 8 or 9 teams realistically pushing to be at Wembley come May. I may be a difficult 15 games but winning most and hoping some other teams do us some favours we do have a chance of being in the mix.

Lopo