There are five players in the squad who before the season began could have hoped to be fixtures in the starting line-up this season: Leon Drysdale, Andy Tretton, Greg Rioch, Mark Cartwright and Sam Aiston. All are now in a position where they are only likely to get back through injury or suspension or a serious loss of form.
Drysdale and Tretton have the least to be concerned about I think, both obviously being very much in the manager’s plans. In fact of the five, Tretton has perhaps improved his position in the squad because the manager is starting to talk about it being difficult to drop Andy and of the club having three good central defenders.
Both Cartwright and Rioch have been dreadfully unlucky. After pre-season there was no doubt that Cartwright would be starting for Town but Dunbavin has taken his chance well. Cartwright, again, has little to worry about: there are still two first choice goalkeepers here. Dunbavin has not been severely tested in the last two games. In particular there has been precious little in the way of quality corners and crosses for him to deal with in recent games.
The turn-around in Rioch’s fortunes have been perplexing. At the end of last season he did not look much good at all, but in the pre-season games he showed a propensity for coming forward with the ball and had a do-or-die attitude that he carried into the season proper. But has that attitude been his undoing? Two rash tackles against Plymouth and a lack of cover at left back meant the manager had to find a loan replacement. Just how much of an off-the-cuff improvisation was Andy Thompson, or had Kevin Ratcliffe been considering moving for him for some time? Thompson has looked good at left back. He is a different sort of player than Rioch being very much more solid and defensive and, perhaps a better foil for Woan than an attack minded Rioch. Ratcliffe is now playing a game of cat and mouse with Cardiff, trying to get his man without paying a fee and Greg is in the stand. If Rats gets his way he’ll stay there too.
Aiston is on his way out of the club. Substitute appearances for the remainder of the season seems the most he can hope for. He has had a bitty season, this being his fourth comeback from either injury or suspension. It’s a great pity to see this state of affairs, but a player of his attributes still has the chance of coming on and making a name for himself and turning a tight game in the process.
By Sean_Broseley