ADAM Turner will step into the FC United team as they take on fellow promoted side Cammell Laird tomorrow night … if he gets out of bed on the right side.
The towering 21-year-old central defender missed Saturday’s opening draw with Matlock with a neck problem after sleeping awkwardly, and the Rebels – already without stalwart Rob Nugent – leaked three goals.
Turner is set to replace Micah Bleau, who suffered from nerves in front of a big Gigg Lane crowd. “I think Micah needs to come out of the firing line,” said manager Karl Marginson. “Adam has done really well in pre-season, and we can’t really afford many more of the basic errors we made on Saturday.
"He had the problem at training on Thursday, and hopefully it will have settled down by tonight."
Midfielders Chris Baguley and Dave Neville, who helped FC fight back from 3-2 down after arriving as substitutes on Saturday, may start on the bench again as they seek to improve fitness.
"They both need to get a bit fitter. The problem with the pair of them is that, for all their fantastic football, playing the pair of them gives you very little cover for the back four because they are both creative, forward-thinking midfielders.
"It's a problem I hope to solve at some point, but Dave certainly needs to get fitter. The big plus with him is that he is really enjoying his football, because he had fallen out of love with the game for a long time."
Carlos Roca, who also helped to transform the game after switching from a striking role to wide right, may start on the flank against the Camels, who came up automatically from the UniBond League's division one south despite finishing second - as champions Retford did not meet the stadium criteria.
Kyle Wilson will continue up front after marking his debut with two goals. Says Marginson: "As well as his goals, Kyle is a real, all-round team player, holding the ball up well, and the fact that he stepped up to take a penalty on his home debut when we were 1-0 down tells you a lot about his character.
"He also has good awareness and there is plenty more to come from him."
Marginson is urging his players to dig in for tomorrow night's game at the 1,500-capacity Kirklands Stadium in Birkenhead: "It's no Gigg Lane, and will be more of a battle than Saturday's game.
"They have an experienced manager in Ken McKenna, who has been in charge of TNS in European football. People might read something into the fact that they lost their first game at Guiseley on Saturday, but I think Guiseley will be one of the teams up there in contention at the end of the season.
"It will be a really tough game, and we will do well to get anything out of it."
Marginson is still looking for competition for full backs Liam Foster and Bradley Howard, and possibly a striker, but says a lack of cash is a problem: "We have young Rhys Hardy who has shown quite well in pre-season, and Nick Robinson did well when he came on against Matlock, and played a good part in the equaliser."
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Stad, Manchester (18/08/2008 at 15:59)
Having said that it was an enjoyable end to end game on Saturday.
We could have won but nearly blew it. I think the crowd earned the late equaliser, pasionate and noisy throughout but the volume intesnity was incredible in the last few minutes and place errupted when the ball hit the back of the net.
Drifter, Mancunia (18/08/2008 at 22:57)
Free Red, Manchester (19/08/2008 at 09:47)
Parking: There is limited parking at the ground. On street parking will be available around the ground.
From Manchester take the from the M60 ring road take the M56 west changing for the M53 at Jct 15 signed posted for Ellesmere Port (one lane only so don't miss it). Exit the M53 at Jct 3 and take the A552 for 3 miles to the Mersey Tunnel approach flyover. Turn left before the flyover (or you will end up in Liverpool) onto the A5227 (Clifton Crescent) for 50 yards then turn right at the roundabout driving under the flyover then bearing left onto Borough road east for 60 yards before bearing right onto the A41 Tunnel Road for 350 yards passing through a roundabout still on the A41 to a second roundabout on the A41 taking the third exit road the B5136 (New Chester Rd) for 300 yards until you come to the Abbotsford pub. Turn right then first right into St Peters Road. Ground at bottom of road on the right.
Train station: The nearest train station is Rock Ferry on the Merseyrail.
Free Red, Manchester (21/08/2008 at 12:52)
The Railway Hotel in Buxton - located very close to the train station is happy to accept FC United fans for custom on the day of the match. The address for the premises is: Railway Hotel, 3 Bridge Street, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6BS. This is quite a large premises with a function room which can be made available if necessary.
Directions: From Stockport (A6): Turn left at first roundabout, turn right at next roundabout, right at traffic lights (London Road pub) to Buxton Market Place. After two sets of pedestrian lights turn right at Royles shop then turn immediate left and follow road approx 500 metres to ground (opposite police station.)
Directions: From Bakewell (A6): Turn left at roundabout on to Dale Road and follow road to traffic lights ? then as above.
Directions: From Macclesfield/Congleton/Leek: Follow road to Burbage traffic lights and take right fork in the road at the Duke of York pub (Macclesfield Road.) Then at next traffic lights turn left (London Road pub) and follow as above.
From Ashbourne (A515): Go straight on at first traffic lights (London Road pub) and follow directions as above.
Then on Bank Holiday Monday August 25th k.o. 3.00pm FC UNITED v BOSTON. This Match will be the first 'KIDS GO FREE' day of the season for U18’s. There will be various activities before the match, many for the junior players but also the ever popular Course You Can Malcolm. And for those too late to be admitted to Starkies, or who prefer a pre-match venue with a little more room, beer with chemicals added to it and no loud popular music, we are planning an event in the social club as well. A tea party if you will. Whether much tea will be consumed is questionable. But then the Boston Tea Party didn't see much of that either. We may even see a large away crowd, and possibly a vocal challenge to unite the bickering factions in the Main Stand and MRE. It's a big game and we're expecting a big crowd so let's get a bouncing bank holiday atmosphere going and start the season off with a bang! Viva la Revolution, come on FC!
Drifter, Mancunia (21/08/2008 at 23:15)
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