Loughborough Dynamo visit the Meres this season for the third meeting between the two clubs. So far, results have gone Grantham’s way with two victories away from home.

 

The visitors have had a turbulent managerial time recently, but appointed Scott Clamp as player manager only a week ago. He got off to a great start with a 5-3 win against Spalding United. At the same time, Grantham were suffering the disappointment of a defeat at Mickleover.

 

“I felt a bit of everything after Saturday.” Said joint manager Wayne Hallcro. “Disappointment, anger, frustration. I don’t think we are doing ourselves justice at the moment. Sometimes I think we want success too much and that gets to us all. We went from Carlton into the first twenty minutes on Saturday and I was thinking, ‘here we go, we’ve hit a bit of form’. Then the first goal goes in with a questionable offside decision and everything starts going wrong from there. We get back into the game again after half-time and then Danny got sent off. I was really disappointed.”

 

After the squad changes in recent weeks, Hallcro is happier that the attitude within the squad is better.

 

“The lads we have got really do care about the club,” he said. “It just isn’t happening at the moment. Maybe we are over enthusiastic during the game. Jimmy and me keep looking at things and wondering if we are doing things right or wrong. We have noticed that on the dugouts side, the assistant always seems to be in our half of the pitch. It looks as though we have got a reputation which may affect whether we get decisions or not. The approach to officials can make a decision. It’s human nature and we are so desperate to do well that we are appealing and getting wound up over everything. Maybe we all need to step back a bit from getting in the faces of officials, both on and off the pitch.”

 

Since fellow joint manager Jimmy Albans spoke about squad changes, another player has moved on. Defender Adam Jones had been the subject of a seven day approach that he has decided to take.

 

“Adam Jones has left the club and joined St Neots.” Hallcro said. He also revealed that another offer has been made to another Town player. “Ryan Clarke has had another offer, from Northwich Victoria this time. He is debating what to do at the moment. We want to continue having him at the club, but if he does go, or even if not, Ricky Hanson is back to full fitness. Ryan has been great cover if that is what it turns out to have been.”

 

Hallcro feels that his side have to become more clinical in front of goal if they are to start winning more games. He looked to Saturday’s game as a chance to do that.

 

“We need to take our chances to make the most of the pressure we have been having.” He said. “We have done Ok against Loughborough this season. We’ve started well against them and taken things forward throughout the games and got results. Pottsy has done well against them and he works against the way they like to play. They like to get the ball out through passing it from the back and we have got success by closing them down and stopping them doing that. Whichever front line we choose for Saturday is going to be expected to do that again.

 

Loughborough will be without goalkeeper and former caretaker manager Matt Nurse who started a four game suspension last Saturday.

 

Squad: Ayden Duffy, Richard Stainsby, Sam Saunders, Gary Sucharewycz, Ryan Clarke, Ricky Hanson, Alistair Asher, Danny Brooks Jack Simmons, Rob Norris, Chris Gray, Dave Frecklington, Ian Robinson, Danny Hargreaves, Lee Potts, Gio Carchedi, Martin Wormall, Ben Saunders.