Stuart Brennan
March 19, 2009
FC UNITED are hoping for a double play-off boost in the space of two days.
The Rebels travel to promotion rivals Hednesford on Saturday, a win which could lift them back into the top five, with only one automatic promotion place and one play-off spot to be contested.
And on Monday the Unibond premier division’s top scorer Kyle Wilson – who has not played for nearly two months – discovers the results of his knee scan, which could mean he returns for the crucial run-in.
“That would be a huge boost,” says manager Karl Marginson, whose side have chalked up consecutive wins over Frickley and fellow hopefuls North Ferriby United.
“We have won the last two games 2-0 but we have been dominant, and you feel that with Kyle in the side we might have won by more.
“But we have shown strength in depth without him - Carlos Roca got on the scoresheet at North Ferriby, and that should boost his confidence, because he has being playing very well.”
FC will be further lifted by the returns of skipper Dave Chadwick, who had a calf strain in midweek, and striker Carl Lomax, whose young daughter was taken to hospital ill on Tuesday but has now recovered.
Marginson strengthened his squad further last week by picking up former Blackburn youth midfielder Gary Stopforth from Clitheroe, and he has impressed in two substitute appearances.
Now FC have eight games of the normal season left, five of them at home, and a win at Keys Park would see them move above their opponents.
Hednesford’s promotion push has hit the rocks lately, with six defeats in their last seven league games, but they bounced back to win 3-0 at Marine in midweek.
“They are a good side, very dangerous up front,” says Marginson. “But North Ferriby and Frickley were both on good runs before we beat them, and we believe we can beat anyone on our day.”