GILCHRIST BEGINNING TO MASTER MARINERS
FREE-SCORING South Shields striker Jason Gilchrist has delivered an ominous warning to rival defenders, blasting “I’m just starting to hit top form”.
The former FC United and Southport hitman made a slow start to life with the Mariners after joining in the summer when he was sent off 34 minutes into his debut at Radcliffe on the opening day of the season.
But after returning from suspension and recovering from a hamstring injury that ruled him out for most of September, Gilchrist has started to find his feet on South Tyneside, plundering 12 goals in 13 games.
Now, with confidence flowing, Gilchrist believes he is on the crest of a wave.
“It wasn’t the start I was hoping for with the red card and the little niggling injury,” the 25-year-old told
The NLP. “I am starting to hit a bit of form and started scoring again.
“There is nothing better than scoring and going on to the pitch full of confidence. It’s not a case of if I am going to score at the moment, it’s how many goals am I going to score.
“Moving to South Shields was a big change for me, on and off the pitch, and it can take time to adjust.
“The lads that were already here had to get used to the way I play, and I had to get used to their style of play. But we are now reaping the rewards of persevering.
“You can go through time when you aren’t scoring and you overthink things, but when you are scoring goals week in, week out, you just do what comes natural and nine times out of ten, that’s the right thing to do.”
On agreeing to join the Mariners from Southport in the summer, Gilchrist relocated to the north-east as his new club took their first steps towards a fulltime, professional status.
Demanding
Now, for the first time in their history, the Mariners are functioning with a hybrid model of part-time and full-time players – a move put in place to help them achieve their lofty ambitions of reaching the Football League.
Joint bosses Graham Fenton and Lee Picton are employed on a full-time basis after delivering five trophies in their first three seasons in charge at Mariners Park.
Now they are now aiming to secure the club’s fourth promotion in the last five years and take them into Non-League’s second tier.
“The managers are very demanding but it’s because they both want to win, and they want what is best for us as players and for the club,” added Gilchrist, who has one cap for England C.
“That is perfect for me because I want to do well, and I want to help get the best out of myself and the rest of the players.
“Results are now going our way, we are on a bit of a run now and we want to get promotion this season because I know that there was a great disappointment that we didn’t go up last season.”