Sturrock focuses on Swindon: 'I have one or two selection dilemmas to mull over'

 

 

Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk:"I think it’s important to peak at the right times in football and that’s Saturdays and Tuesday so we have arranged a friendly for tomorrow morning. It’s a behind closed doors game and I don’t want to say who we’re playing against but the whole first team squad will be travelling. Those who don’t play will be training on a pitch next to where the game is taking place and it will be an important part of our preparation for the game against Swindon."

 

Luggy is well aware of the importance of the match that has seen Di Canio's rampant Robins just lose once in 22 games, at Torquay 1-0, before they take on Leicester away in the FA Cup Fourth Round at the weekend.

 

Sturrock said: "It goes without saying that it’s going to be an important match but there are still only three points to play for and we still have another 20 games to go. Therefore, Tuesday’s game won’t be decisive but it goes without saying we want to win it, especially as Swindon have beaten us twice already this season. I’m also fully aware that our results against our promotion rivals haven’t been the best this season and that’s something else we would like to improve."

 

And with all the talk of Sturrock signing a defender with regular centre-half Mark Phillips possibily a long term injury concern it's upfront that's giving him food for thought at the moment, while defending a former Swindon striker who is coming under a bit of pressure from some of the Shrimpers faithful. 

 

He explained: "I have one or two selection dilemmas to mull over, especially in attack. We have Jack Sampson, Neil Harris and Blair Sturrock all pushing for places and it’s important to come up with the right combination. What happens in the friendly will help me make up my mind but I’d like to stress that it’s far too early for people to be judging Elliot Benyon. He hadn’t played for a little before coming in to join us and he put some weight on in that time. He now needs to work hard to lose that but it’s been encouraging that he’s been getting in positions to score. He came close against both Northampton and Shrewsbury and once he gets that yard back he’s missing at the moment because of his fitness I’m confident he will do well for us. Jack has impressed too though and it was unfortunate injuries stopped him coming on against Shrewsbury last weekend."

 

Don't think Bomber and Blair are seriously in with a chance outside the bench but Sampson for Benyon must be given serious consideration.

 

However, from what Luggy is saying above the odds are on Hall, Dickinson, Benyon & Martin starting against the fourth placed side who could go only one point behind Southend if they leave south-east Essex victorious. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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