Boro surpassing early expectation
Gosport boss Gale’s delight as play-off push continues
Gosport Borough boss Shaun Gale admitted his squad have exceeded his early expectations with their current Southern League Premier South play-off placing.
Boro occupy fourth spot in division and moved level on points with Hayes & Yeading - in third - following their 2-0 home triumph over bottomside Wimborne on Wednesday.
Gale believes with the injuries to senior players within his squad at various points of the season so far Gosport are 'punching' above where he felt they would find themselves 19 games into the campaign.
Boro were without experienced pair Matt Paterson and Mike Carter at the start of the season, although both are now back fit and featured in the win over Wimborne.
Meanwhile, Gale presently remains without Rory Williams (hamstring) while Ryan Woodford has missed parts of the season through illness and suspension.
But the Boro boss says teenagers such as Ipswich loanee goalkeeper Bert White, released Pompey pair Harvey Rew and Harry Kavanagh, Forest Green loan midfielder Luke Hallett and other youngsters in and around the first-team set up deserve huge credit for helping the team reach the lofty league position they find themselves in at present.
Gale acknowledged 'bumps in the road' along the way this term are to be expected and the season could prove a 'bit of a roller-coaster at times'.
But he insists he'll continue placing his faith in a 'great bunch' of players who have served him so well as Boro bid to maintain their play-off push.
Gale insisted: ‘We’re joint third in the league - in a very, very tough, competitive league - and probably punching with the start we had, the injuries we had and the youngsters who were playing and are still playing. That’s the way we’re going to go.
‘I know there are going to be bumps in the road, I know it’s a bit of a roller-coaster at times, I know we’re not going to play well all the time, I know we’re going to see things like I did tonight (in the win over Wimborne) the nervousness - we started the game okay. But the young lads, as well as some of the senior ones, showed a bit of nervousness.
‘It’s down to me to try to calm that, keep instilling faith and belief into them, because I do believe in this group of players, they’re a great group of players, they’re a great bunch to manage and work with.
‘They’re going to make mistakes but they are getting better and they’re learning so the impor- tant thing was to win (against Wimborne).’
Gale has previously spoken about his frustration at not being able to field a settled team on a regular basis this season. Unfortunately, that is a trend that will continue for the trip to Tiverton tomorrow.
Both Billie Busari Bradley Tarbuck and are ruled out of the visit to Devon after picking up hamstring injuries in the win over Wimborne.
Defender Matt Briggs remains a doubt because of illness but Bedsente Gomis could come back into contention as he continues to build up his fitness having recently arrived at the club.
Meanwhile, Mike Carter will be assessed after coming on as a half-time substitute against Wimborne.