Dean updates ahead of Good Friday game at Gateshead

Jimmy Dean has reflected on the week gone by and previewed the Good Friday away game where the Iron will take on Gateshead in the Vanarama National League.

The gaffer began by speaking about the game, stating: “It’s a really difficult fixture. They’re a team that’s possession-based and they’re flying at the minute, they’ve won their last four, and their performances are way above their league position. It’s going to be a really difficult task going there. We’re well prepared though.”

Jimmy continued to speak about Gateshead, adding: “They’re a side we looked at when we came in and we thought they’d be a team that we’d be in and around. Credit to them and credit to the manager because they’ve done a superb job, whilst also getting to the FA Trophy final at Wembley.” 

He added: “They’ve used the momentum of the cup run. They beat Yeovil 4-0 in the week, they beat Dagenham, they beat Aldershot, and they’re flying. It’s a really difficult fixture and we just have to make sure that mentally we’re in the right place to give them a game, because if not it’s going to be a long afternoon.”

The boss then touched on what he expects from the players following last week's defeat at home to Torquay United. He said: “I expect a reaction. There’s no point trying to get away from it, it’s left us in a really difficult position. There’s no excuse not to go out there and give everything. This club and these games means too much to too many people. I’ve told them if we can’t do that then it’s completely unacceptable.”

Dean was then asked about the importance of the game, saying: “I think a big problem with last week is that we didn’t handle the pressure of the game. We need to play the next game and block out the noise around us. We need to get the ball down and use it a lot better than we did, as it wasn’t very good last Saturday.” 

The boss also mentioned changing the lineup, saying: “There will be some changes, some are forced and some aren’t. It needs to be better - it’s as simple as that and that’s what we’re aiming for.” 

He then provided an update on the team's fitness, with three players picking up knocks last Saturday. He said: “Dion [Sembie-Ferris] recovered and trained. Richie [Bennett] hasn’t trained and he’s struggling, he’s touch and go for Friday. Cam [Wilson] didn’t train on Monday but he did on Wednesday and Thursday so he’s recovered.” 

He then spoke about the fitness of several other players: “(Aaron) Chapman and Alfie [Beestin] are back on the training pitch training individually. There’s still a long way back for them, but it’s nice to have them out there. Marcus Carver is ready to come back into the reckoning now as he’s got two or three weeks (of training) behind him. It’s been a bit up and down with injuries but we can only worry about the boys who are available.”

Finally, the gaffer touched on the fans travelling to support the Iron. He said: “They deserve better and it’s the thing that guts me more than anything else about our situation. It’ll come for them, we wanted it to be this season but it hasn’t come. There will be brighter times ahead for them.”