Terry Skiverton wants no let up from the Dons tonight against Grimsby, as we look to maintain momentum towards the play-offs following Saturday’s victory.
“We need to back it up,” said Terry after Monday’s final training session. “There are moments in the season where you’ve got to turn things around and dig in and we did that at the weekend - now we’ve got to back it up and see how close we can get to those play-off spots.
“We keep saying - ‘What team are we? Are we going to be a play-off team? Are we going to just miss out?’
“We’ve looked at the points and how many we’re going to need to get close, so Tuesday night is going to be a great opportunity for us and it’s one we’ve got to take with both hands.
“We can’t follow it up with a dull performance or no energy. Monday’s session was bright and jubilant, and they were all on the front foot. We’ve done a few bits and pieces on our attacking play.”
You can listen to an extensive interview with our Assistant Manager Terry Skiverton below.
We last met Grimsby on the opening day of the season, when it finished goalless at Blundell Park. While we’re looking up, our visitors are looking over their shoulders and aiming to avoid dropping out of the league. They’re now under the leadership of David Artell, who knows all about being successful at this level with Crewe.
“I know David really well,” said Terry. “He’s a very experienced manager at this level and got promoted out of it. We can’t underestimate them, they’re dogged, determined and with him being a former centre-half, he’ll get them organised.
“They are scrapping for their lives, but they’re very resilient,” said Terry. “They play with a really good back five. They’ve got some good individuals with Rose up front, they’ve also got Holohan and Rodgers - who scored at the weekend against Forest Green.
“When we played against them in the first game of the season it was a decent draw, with two good teams going at each other. They seemed to have lost their way for a little while, but after their win at the weekend they’ll be looking to go back-to-back as we are.”
Johnnie Jackson still has very good numbers to choose from, with centre-backs Ryan Johnson and Joe Lewis having continued to train nearby the main group, under the watchful eyes of physio Bobby Bacic and Head of Sports Science Chris McConnell.
“There are no fresh injury concerns,” said Terry. “Everybody was in at New Malden on Monday. We did a light session and modified the group that will be playing, because they had to put in a hell of a shift for the victory on Saturday. We’re ready and raring to go.
“One of the hardest parts of the season has been to rejig things. I think Lee Brown has been excellent since he’s come in. He’s really given it a go at the back and galvanised the players, especially the younger ones by getting in and around them.
“You look at his age - he did an overlap in time added on, on Saturday, and put in an assist for Ronan’s goal. It just shows how everyone is running, fighting, blocking and tackling for this football Club.
“To go from a back four to a back five, it was a credit to the lads for taking on the information and the principals that are around that and putting it into practice. Tactically and technically, they got it spot on.”
You can watch full coverage of the game against Grimsby Town, with commentary from our Radio WDON team, by purchasing a video match pass from the link below:
Main photo: Stephen Flynn (Pro Sports Images).
