Alex Pearce is excited at the prospect of linking-up with fellow new signing Kyle Hudlin tomorrow, as we aim to increase our firepower ahead of the League Two campaign.
Six-foot-nine striker Hudlin joined us on a season-long loan from Huddersfield on Friday, but wasn’t involved in Saturday’s 3-0 friendly defeat at home to Ipswich.
“It’s fantastic news,” said Pearce who wore the captain’s arm band in yesterday’s game. “He’ll be a threat for us, and we’ll welcome him into the group. Hopefully there’s more to come. It's positive times.”
Pearce, who joined us after leaving Millwall this summer, increased his fitness levels with a 70-minute run out and teamed up again with our other new signing Chris Gunter at the back. The pair having previously been teammates at Reading.
“I’m feeling good,” said Pearce. “I would have preferred to have got the win, of course, but it was always going to be tough against a good League One side in Ipswich. It’s about going out there, getting to know your teammates and playing at the stadium for the first time in front of a decent crowd. It was good to experience that.”
The defender took positives from our fourth pre-season game, ahead of our next scheduled friendly on Tuesday at home to Championship side Reading - a club where he became a real favourite after helping them into the Premier League in 2012.
“It’s disappointing to lose this game, but we’re not going to get judged off that,” said Pearce. “We got what we wanted out of it - good fitness work, exercise and minutes in the legs - and we’ll move on to the training ground on Monday ahead of the next game.
“There could always be more communication and that’s one of the things we can work on. We can address that in training. It’s a young group, so for players like myself it’s going to be vitally important.
“The young lads have been great, and they’ve really done well in pre-season. They’re going to be needed throughout the whole season, as with everyone. We’re going to really come together as a group and we’re not far away now.”
Pictures: Ian Stephen (Pro Sports Images).