Michael Kelly looks to consolidate his starting place

Defender Michael Kelly is keen to cement his place in the starting XI after he was handed only his second Iron start at the weekend.

The former Eastleigh left-back was deployed as Reagan Ogle’s replacement for the Emirates FA Cup tie against Brackley Town, with the Aussie ruled out with a rib injury.

Speaking in reflection to the weekend’s stalemate, he said: “I thought overall, we probably deserved to win the tie, certainly with the chances we had towards the end of the game. We were a little bit sloppy in the first half, and not where we wanted to be, but I thought we started the second half really well.

“We probably should have got the winner towards the end, but we kept a clean sheet, stayed in the game, and we’ve got a chance to go for it tomorrow, so hopefully we can do that.”

Taking the tie to St James Park puts home advantage on the Saints. Being a fellow National League North side flying high at the top end of the division, Kelly expects the game to be another tough one on the road.

The victors will travel to either Braintree Town or Canvey Island in the Third Qualifying Round at the end of the month, but for 25-year-old, there’s no focus on that potential at all.

“Any game away from Glanford Park is always going to be tougher than it is at home,” he stated. 

“It gives us another chance to put the game to bed, and hopefully we can do that in 90 minutes tomorrow.

“It’s important for us that we don’t look too much at the next round. We’ve got a job to do, and once we do that, we can look towards the next round.

“I think we need to start the game at a higher tempo and impose our game onto them. We need to move the ball a little bit quicker and, in the final third, take our chances when we do get them. I don’t think the game will change too much from what Saturday was.”

Aside from starting in the defeat away at Curzon Ashton, and Saturday, Kelly has been limited to just substitute appearances so far this season.

He’s often made a positive impact with his roles from the bench, but now wants to affirm his side in the starting birth, whether that be in his familiar position down the left, or the right-back spot he was deployed in on Saturday.

“It has been (frustrating), but at the same time, the lads have started the season really well,” he continued. 

“It’s really good that we’re a tight knit group. There are no bad eggs at all, so everyone is in it together. There’s more than me that’s frustrated that we’ve not had the game time that we’d want, but it’s important for us that we stay ready, that we’re on it all the time. Then when the time does come to start, like Saturday was for me, that we can go and take that chance. I think I did quite well in the game, and hopefully I can take that onto tomorrow at all.

“I don’t mind it at all (playing right-back). It’s that cliche of wherever the manager asks you to play, you’ll do it anyway. It allows me to come inside on my stronger left foot, allows me to see the game a little bit more and it opens up some more pictures. I’m also quite comfortable going on my right foot if needed as well.

“Whenever anyone is called upon, we have to make an impact, that’s what the manager says. I feel throughout the course of the season, everyone that has come onto the pitch has done that - whether that’s five minutes, two minutes or half an hour.”