Friday, 10th October 2008

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- Rex Page – Burton Mail

4th September 1987
Gresley Rovers boss Frank Northwood is not a man to rest easily when he sees the slightest flaw in his team.

That’s why Northwood moved swiftly to reinforce his squad by signing Mile Oak defender Steve French after Saturday’s 3-2 FA Cup defeat against arch-rivals Tamworth.

If there’s a chink in Rovers’ armour it’s probably at the heart of their defence, where they have struggled to find an effective partner for ever-reliable Steve Dolby.

Northwood had high hopes that summer signing Barry Wilcox would solve the problem, but the Hinckley Town man was singularly uninspiring in pre-season games and was shown the door before the campaign began in earnest.

Since then John Bottomley and mark Bromley have both been tried alongside Dolby without apparently convincing Northwood that they are the men for the job.

The Moat Ground supreme has also resisted the temptation to rush Ray Skeemer back into first team action.

Skeemer is slowly regaining his old form after a serious ankle injury, but probably needs more time to prove he is capable of performing effectively in the Banks’s League Premier Division – hence Northwood’s decision to make another sortie into the transfer market.

And the Gresley boss wasted no time in announcing that he would make immediate use of his latest acquisition.

“French will go straight into the side to partner Dolby,” said Northwood.

That leaves open to debate the immediate future of Bromley and full back Keith Williams.

Bromley has also been used in midfield – without proving he has a long term part to play – and could be switched to left back, where his Moat Ground career began.

Should that be the case, Williams would have every reason to feel aggrieved because he has been as consistent as anyone so far this season.

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