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Club News

Yates: Players Will Be Ready

14 February 2013

Club News

Yates: Players Will Be Ready

14 February 2013

Mark Yates is hoping his side can carry their good performance from Tuesday night into the weekend.

Mark Yates speaks to the media ahead of Saturday's visit of Aldershot Town.

"I said on before Tuesday we didn't do ourselves any favours last week. I think we've only lost one in seven or eight games, we're not worried but we need to start winning games back to back. Obviously Tuesday night's performance gives us that chance.

"We're aiming to put a run of wins together, that said if we have to scrap it out and fight it out, we will. No one seems to be grabbing the league by the horns and making it their own at the moment. The aim's to put a couple of wins together but all we can do is look after Saturday and make sure we perform somewhere like we did on Tuesday night.

"It's about working on the group and improving on a daily basis. The games are coming up thick and fast at the moment and with the weather we aren't doing that much training on the grass. The pitches are absolutely saturated but everyone's having that problem. We're getting the right amount of training into them. They will be ready, they'll be as fresh as they can be for Saturday. There won't be too many changes, if any.

"This season hasn't been one where we've been brilliant against the top teams and poor against the bottom ones. We've won games against sides at either ends of the decision and lost them. It's a really tough league, it doesn't matter who you face. You know you have to be committed and try to match and better other peoples work rates. You know you have to impose your game on them, we certainly didn't do that against Dagenham but we did it against Southend.

"They've got some good players, I think Dean's a great manager and a great bloke. I'm sure that by the end of the season they'll be out of trouble. I'm concerned with making sure that everyone in my squad is prepared and ready. Dean's got a couple of injuries in his squad but that's for him to deal with, not me."

Aldershot lost on Saturday after conceding from a set piece and the Robins won the return fixture with a goal from a dead ball.

"They've got some big players, so it's surprising to hear they've been conceding in the way they have. We've got to make sure our set piece deliveries are good, we've scored a fair few from them this season, not of late but we need to get back to scoring from dead balls."

Jeff Goulding joined Aldershot Town this week after he left the club on transfer deadline day.

"I've always liked him, he's always given something and added something to the team. I know he's got a few doubters around the place but we have to be wary of him on Saturday. He'll be wanting to put one over on us but that's just the nature of football. He's had a good two and a half years here, I enjoyed working with him but if he plays on Saturday he will be a problem for us."

Marlon Pack scored Cheltenham's opener on Tuesday night. The match was his first start for the club since his deadline day move to Swindon Town fell through.

"We'll see what happens over the next few days. He's my player at the minute. I didn't get hold of the chairman yesterday but I'll be speaking to him today. We've had no contact from Swindon but he will be in the team on Saturday.

"He's never asked me to go, demanded to go or wanted to go. We all felt it was the right thing at the right time but obviously with what's happened and it not going ahead his attitude's been spot on. His training's been spot on and putting him back in the team, he was superb on Tuesday night. It's something we've got to think about and all I'm concerned with right now is to finish as high as we can and if Marlon's involved with that then brilliant."

Paul Benson scored the Robins second goal on Tuesday night and was substituted after picking up a dead leg.

"I think he will be ok, he won't train today because he's still a bit stiff. Russ Penn's still a bit stiff from a few knocks he's had but I imagine the whole group should be ready for Saturday."

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