Manager sets FC promotion target

March 05, 2009

FC UNITED manager Karl Marginson set his team a promotion points target after their disappointing home draw against Buxton.

The reds battled back to 1-1 in Saturday’s bad tempered affair, which saw Margy sent to the stands and winger Jerome Wright sent off for a scuffle in the dying minutes.

But the boss is still convinced that his talented side have what it takes to make the UniBond Premier League play-offs.

As he prepared his squad for their trip to Matlock this Sunday, March 8, kick-off 3pm, Margy said: "There are 11 games left and I still believe we will be there or thereabouts if we take 23 points from the remaining 33.

"It’s a realistic target but we need to get some consistency.

"We put in a great performance against a well placed team in Kendal one week and then we play like we did against a so-called struggling side in Buxton the next.

"We need to make sure our commitment is what it should be and, if we play to our capabilities, then the play-offs are there to be taken."

Margy was unhappy with the refereeing performance at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

He said: "He sent Jerome off for a push to their lad’s chest but it was an impossibility because the lad had him in a head lock and was clearly punching him in the face.

"How the ref and linesman missed that I don’t know.

"I told them I was disappointed with this and was sent to the stands. We will forget about it and move on."

FC hope to bounce back on their trip to Derbyshire to face 19th-placed Matlock.

Margy said: "We don’t look at the league positions.

"We have lost points to all of the bottom teams and yet taken points off some of the top ones this season. That’s the way this league works.

"They (Matlock) will raise their game as most clubs do against us and we need to be prepared and get back to playing like we did at Kendal if we’re going to return to winning ways."

Midfielder Dave Neville will be out of action for between four to six weeks with a broken ankle and top scorer Kyle Wilson is waiting to have a scan on his knee injury to assess exactly what the problem is.