FOOTBALL: Boss Gee bans play-off talk (From Oxford Mail)

FOOTBALL: Boss Gee bans play-off talk

11:00am Friday 8th March 2013 in Headlines By Nick Farrant, Sports reporter specialising in Non League Football. Call me on 01865 425488

North Leigh boss Mark Gee says he is not getting carried away by his side’s resurgence and has banned all talk of making the Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West play-offs.

The Millers chalked up their fourth win in a row with Tuesday’s 4-1 victory at Bridgwater Town to climb to eighth in the table, nine points from fifth-place Yate.

“Good players don’t become bad ones, it’s the confidence that is lacking,” said Gee. “Now they have got their confidence back it’s showing in the results.

“The younger ones like Declan Shepperd, Conor McDonagh and Jacob Walcott have had a big impact. Their enthusiasm has rubbed off on the others.”

Gee added: “Tuesday was our best away performance since we won at Cirencester.

“We moved the ball well and closed them down all over the pitch. I couldn’t single one player out – they all played well.

“But I’m not getting carried away. We’re not even talking about the play-offs.

“We’ll see where we are with seven or eight games to go.”

North Leigh will be without Shepperd, (county duty) and Tom Franklin (broken rib) for tomorrow’s visit of Cinderford Town, but John Else, Michael Alexis, Andy Caton and Keiran Sanders return.

Didcot Town manager Gary Elkins has urged his players not to let the season fizzle out.

Three defeats has seen them drop to 13th, but Elkins, whose side travel to Poole Town, expects his side to keep up their performance levels.

“I want everybody to be available for the last ten games because I want us to finish on a high,” he said.

“We are now building for next year and if any player doesn’t want to be part of it then we will look at other options.

“I only want players that are 100 per cent committed to the club.”

He added: “Poole will be a very tough game. They are a big strong side, so it’s a game we will have to be up for.”

Didcot are without Elliott Osborne-Ricketts (suspended).

Abingdon United entertain Cirencester Town at Northcourt Road, while Banbury United travel to Weymouth in the Premier Division.

Tomorrow’s squads

North Leigh (v Cindferford Tn, home): from Warrell, Turk, Organ, Clark, Westlake, Hole, Walcott, Bowles, Brooks, McDonagh, Mills, Alexis, Caton, Else, Sanders.

Didcot Tn (v Poole Tn, away): from Belloli-Pereira, Elkins, Wray, Carnell, Allaway, Tappin, Heapy, Meade, M Janes, M Williams, Bernasconi, T Janes, Hepburn, Harris, Pereira.

Abingdon Utd (v Cirencester Tn, home): from Foster, Booker, Halliday, James, Thomas, Evans, Self, Tucker, Woodley, Biddle, Davis, Riccio, Baker Melledew, Christodoulou.