Boss won't be changing things for cup tie
Having come through what he described as cup tie conditions at Tamworth last week, John Still won’t be changing things around for the Town’s trip to Woking in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Hatters make the trip to Kingfield a month after a 4-0 victory over the Cards in the Skrill Premier and the boss is boosted by having an almost fully-fit squad for the FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie.
With options to choose from is the manager tempted to make a few changes? No chance.
“It’s a game and I want to win. It doesn’t matter to me. It’s a game I want to win and as far as I’m concerned there’s no change,” Still said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“I will pick a side that I think can win the game. I don’t think it’s a game for trying someone out. I don’t think it’s a game to see how someone does.
“If I pick it, it’s going to be based on what I know, not what I hope might happen because I think it’s the right thing to do.
“How important is it to get promotion? How important is it to go as far as we can in the FA Cup? How important and how far in the FA Trophy?
“If you asked the list of people, a lot would probably say league, some would go with the league and the FA Cup, and some would say it would be good to get to Wembley with the FA Trophy.”
On the selection front, Still has Alex Wall available but is likely to be without midfielder Alex Lawless and striker Jon Shaw.
“I think we’re much as we were. Alex Wall is back in training...until his next injury,” joked the manager after the striker's recovery from a third knock of the season already.
“Alex Lawless is coming on fine but he’s not quite ready, he’s just picked up a little niggle, nothing much. I keep trying to push him back and maybe I just need to give him a touch more time.
“Jon’s training without training full out. When you’ve had operations and you come back, you tend to have some niggles.
“Alex Lawless is coming back and feeling good but sometimes pushes himself a touch too much. It’s not the injury, the original injury, it’s something else, a bit tight here, a bit sore there.
“Fortunately we are in a position where we don’t have to rush, rush, rush. The people that are rushing are the players themselves.
“We are trying to keep the reins on them a little bit, but players want to get back to playing and maybe they’ve just got to take their foot off the pedal a little bit.”