Defender Jordan Clarke feels the Christmas period presents an opportunity for he and his Iron team-mates to really make a statement, heading into the second half of the season.
Matches against Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers are on the agenda before the year is out, and Clarke sees it as an important time for United.Speaking to The Iron PlayerHD, Clarke said: “It’s the festive time, so there’s a good feel for everyone outside of football and in it too.
“These games are so significant that we need to go into them with a really good mindset, because they affect the teams around us.
“We want to consolidate and stamp our authority on the position we’ve got ourselves to. It’s very important, we’re looking forward to it, and we’re looking forward to coming out the other side with hopefully some good results.
“We can put a bit of daylight between the teams around us, and therefore make the table look like the way I think our performances have deserved.”
The Boxing Day clash with Bradford comes after an impressive home success over Millwall - a vital victory in the 25-year-old’s eyes.
“We’re going into the fixtures on the back of a good win at home, and a clean sheet,” Clarke explained.
“The fans were buzzing with the way we won the game, and the opposition we played against - because Millwall are no pushovers.
“They are a strong side, but Glanford Park has been a fortress this year, and we’ve been doing very well.
“All of us as players were buzzing to bounce back. It was for the fans really, to reassure them once more.”
That win last weekend saw Clarke start in the league for the first time since the away win at Walsall in September.
Clarke, like fellow full-back Harry Toffolo, expressed his elation at getting back into the side, and stated that matches in the Checkatrade Trophy helped him acclimatise well.
“It was my first league game in about nine to ten weeks, because of my injury before,” he stated.
“There’s nothing like league football and, I was quite pleased, both personally and as a whole for the team.
“I was a bit nervous as to what my body would let me do. Thankfully, I got my preparation right and I actually think that could have helped me, because I didn’t feel one bit tired like I did in the Checkatrade Trophy matches.”
See much more from Jordan Clarke, Graham Alexander and Harry Toffolo on The Iron PlayerHD.
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