Run of home games starts with visit of Clitheroe
After another confidence boosting and ultimately very comfortable 3-0 win at Avro last week, tomorrow sees the start of a run of three successive home games, which kicks off with the visit of Clitheroe.
There was a real sense of togetherness in that win in Oldham last week, and after another positive training session last night, we are ready to go again to see if we can keep up ourunbeaten run under new gaffer Neil Baker. That run nowstands at four games – the last three of them victories.
We are free from suspensions, but we do have a slight concern over Tom Jones, who was forced off midway through the first half last week, when trying to convert his second of the afternoon and skipper Tommy van der Laan, who was replaced late on at Avro.
We stand just two points below Clitheroe in the league table and incredibly – given where we were at the end of December – are now only five points off the play-offs. Clitheroe, on the other hand, are experiencing a bit of a lull in form.
Afterthrashing 1874 Northwich in early November, they’ve won just twice in nine games since.
The reverse fixture in October brought a frustrating loss for us. Leading 1-0 going into the final 20 minutes, two Sefton Gonzales goals turned the tables and left the home side riding high in the play-off spots at the time.
These are different times though. While Clitheroe will naturally carry a threat – and we need look no further than Gonzales’ 14 league goals to have an idea where it might come from – the way our front two of Jake Avery and Tom clicked last week was very satisfying. And even if Tom doesn’t make the starting XI tomorrow, with Kingsley Adu Gyamfi and Pat Mazurkiewicz waiting in the wings, we have excellent options as cover.
This is a great time in the season for us, we’re in good form and we’re feeling confident. After beating Runcorn 1-0 a fortnight ago on our own patch, let’s now hope that our ropey home form from earlier in the season is a thing of the past.
Come on Castle!
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