Johnson to keep tight grip on influential loan stars

Manager Gary Johnson is extending the Bristol City loans of both Jake Andrews and Saikou Janneh by three months as he tries to stretch Torquay United’s unbeaten National League South and FA Cup run beyond its current six games.

Johnson rested Andrews, 21, for last Saturday’s 4-1 Cup win over Winchester City – the Gulls will be at home to league rivals Woking in the first round proper – but 20-year-old Jan- neh’s initial loan also ran out at the weekend, when he scored his first United goal.

“Jake’s new loan had come through in time, but I was going to rest him anyway because of a slight knee problem he’s been carrying,” said Johnson, who also has winger Opi Edwards and midfielder Connor Lemonheigh-Evans on loan from Ashton Gate. “We think Jake should be OK for this Saturday.

“I was delighted that Saikou got that first goal, but I have been really pleased with him before that – he’s often up there in his contribution and assists.

“To me, that’s as good as scoring a goal, and that’s why I don’t put strikers under pressure. For someone so young, he is definitely affecting the game, and that’s what I ask him to do.

“But both Saikou and Jamie Reid know that they’ve got two other lads in Ruairi [Keating] and Brett [Williams] who are desperate to get on the pitch.

“That’s the sort of competition I am looking for – we’ve got to make sure that everybody is worried for their places.”

United took their Cup prizemoney haul to £49,000 with victory over Winchester, and they will collect another £36,000 if they can beat Woking on November 10.

The draw is a repeat of the fourth qualifying round between the clubs two years ago – Woking won 2-1 in a replay after a 1-1 draw at Plainmoor – and they recently drew 2-2 in the league here after the Cards led 2-0 at half-time.

“I love playing at home in the FA Cup,” said Johnson, “and I thought the crowd was brilliant last Saturday – they certainly made it feel like a Cup-tie and they will have a big part to play again next time.

“It’s not like we have drawn Sunderland, when the excitement would have started straight away and overshadowed things. It’s still a good draw, against a team we know lots about and it will be exciting when it comes around.

“But we’ve got some very important league games coming up, and we have to concentrate on them now.”

United (ninth) travel to Wealdstone (fourth) this Saturday and bottom club Weston-super-Mare next Tuesday.