Catlin: Time for players to step up to the plate

Gosport Borough are looking to bounce back from their FA Cup exit as they visit Eversely & California in the Hampshire Senior Cup tonight (7.45pm).
Gosport Borough assistant manager Mick Catlin Picture: Mick YoungGosport Borough assistant manager Mick Catlin Picture: Mick Young
Gosport Borough assistant manager Mick Catlin Picture: Mick Young

The Combined Counties division one hosts knocked Fareham Town out in the last round of the competition.

Borough suffered a shock Cup loss at Southern League Weymouth and will be keen to avoid another disaster.

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Assistant manager Mick Catlin accepts it is time for some of the players to step up to the plate.

‘On the back of our FA Cup loss, we need strong characters in the dressing room,’ said Catlin.

‘We also have to stop leaking goals or it is going to be a long, hard season.’

Moneyfields and Horndean both admit they have one eye on next weekend as they meet in the cup at Dover Road.

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The home side face a Titanic top-of-the-table Wessex premier clash at Blackfield & Langley on Saturday.

Horndean have an important FA Vase tie against Oldland Abbotonians at Five Heads Park to prepare for.

Moneys boss Dave Carter is away on holiday, leaving assistant Matt Jones in charge.

But before he left Carter suggested he would be using the game to give some of his squad players a chance.

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‘With our big league clash coming up we are not going to be taking any silly risks,’ he said.

‘I will take the opportunity to rest a few.

‘It will be a chance for some of the younger players to come in and show what they can do.

‘We also have a few players coming back from injury and holiday and it will be good to give them some minutes on the pitch.

Nathan Paxton is back from holiday, with Steve Bantock and Ashley Johnson available again after injury.

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Youngsters Toby Burawa and Liam Kyle are also expected to be included.

Horndean manager Dave Birmingham expects to take a similar approach.

However, he still anticipates a competitive affair.

‘It is still a derby and neither team will want to lose,’ said Birmingham.

‘We would both agree that our priorities are elsewhere.

‘At Horndean we don’t have a reserve side so I will be bringing in some of my fringe players.

‘It will be interesting to see what they make of it.

‘After our defeat at the weekend I will be looking for us to get back to moving the ball quickly on the floor.’