Nisbet adds much-needed experience and know-how to Heath’s backline
Former Maidenhead United and Slough Town defender, Mark Nisbet, has signed for Flackwell Heath, adding some much-needed experience and know-how to Chris Ayres’ talented but youthful outfit.
Nisbet will bolster the club's defensive options at a time when they’ve suffered a few injuries and he re-joins a Heathens side that are on the up under Ayres and Paul Shone.
On Tuesday evening, they ousted Ascot United from the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, winning 2-0 at the Racecourse Ground thanks to a strike from Duarte Surpanu that was deflected
in for an own goal and Fabian Driffill’s coolly taken second late in the game.
In the absence of Chris Ayres – who at the time of writing is away in Canada celebrating his 50th birthday – Shone took the reins alongside Keith Ryan and guided Flackwell to an impressive victory.
It comes off the back of an encouraging start to the league season, which sees the Heathens fifth in the Combined Counties Premier Division North table after six matches.
Reflecting on Nisbet’s return to the club where he started out as a teenager, Shone said: “Mark is a guy I’ve known for many years. I’ve known him from when he first started out at Flackwell many moons ago, when he was 17 or 18, before he went on to play for Maidenhead for a long period of time at the top level. So, he’s a character that has become available and he will bring professionalism to the team, as well as leadership, organisation, everything that you want from a centre-half. With him and James Mansfield, we’ve got two experienced, solid defenders that can play and understand the game. In certain times of the game, they will help the youngsters get through it as well with some guidance. It was a no-brainer, it was an easy shoehorn to get
Mark in, and he will help with some of the injuries we’ve got.”
Shone was also full of praise for the players after Tuesday’s win, adding that they’ve set the benchmark for next Tuesday’s league fixture with the Yellamen.
“All in all, it was a really good display from the boys,” said Shone. “Ascot are flying high in the league, doing well in the cup competitions as well, so it was always going to be tough going across there.
“But we came away victorious by being resilient in our defence and aggressive with the ball going forwards.”