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Motivation no problem
DAWLISH Town boss Jeff Evans doesn’t believe he’ll have have much difficulty motivating his players ahead of Friday’s local derby at Willand Rovers… the only problem is that he doesn’t know how many players he’ll have available with flu currently sweeping through the Seasiders’ dressing room!
Skipper Gary Fisher, goalkeeper Luke Purnell and full-back Dean Coppard have all been suffering with the virus in the past couple of weeks, although all three had played through the exhaustion barrier ahead of last night’s scheduled home match against Sherborne.
Evans is hoping none of his other players get struck down with it, bearing in mind that midfielder Kris Davis and defenders Paul Kendall and Luke Martin are all unavailable for Friday’s game.
Davis goes on holiday to Thailand for a fortnight later this week, Kendall is currently serving a four-match suspension while Martin is expected to be out for the rest of the season after picking up a groin injury during last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Melksham Town at Sandy Lane (see inside for report), which attracted the Seasiders’ lowest home crowd of the term (35).
Dawlish have already been beaten twice by Willand this season – once in the league and once in the Devon St Luke’s Cup – and Evans said: ‘I wouldn’t have thought I’d have much problem getting the players up for the game but, at the same time, I’ve obviously got players on holiday and down with flu.’
Craig Fenner will also miss part of Dawlish’s run-in as he has a holiday to Spain coming up.
The deadline for transfers is today, but Evans said he is likely to stick with the squad of players he currently has available to him.
With last Tuesday’s home fixture against Welton Rovers called off due to a waterlogged pitch, last night’s match was set to the first of nine in the space of 25 days.
The Welton game has been rearranged for next Wednesday (7.30), just two days after the Seasiders host one of Evans’ old sides, Barnstaple Town, on Easter Monday (3pm).
Evans had an unhappy return to his former haunt when Barum beat Town 1-0 at Mill Road, courtesy of a last-gasp winner, in January. Dawlish midfielder Dean Stevens also saw a 35th minute spot-kick saved.
‘It’s payback time,’ said the Seasiders’ chief.
By Dean Stacey
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