Judd backs team to bounce back

Published 18 Jun 2010 14:00 0 Comments

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GREENOCK coach Tony Judd has backed his players to savour the sweet scent of success after last week's 'stinker'.

However, the Australian admits the club will have to be patient in their quest to bring back the glory days.

Judd was performing his duties as assistant coach and video analyst to the Scotland team and did not see Greenock slump to their lowest-ever SNCL total against Forfarshire at Glenpark last Saturday.

Chasing the visitors' 248, Greenock were skittled for just 47 to stay rooted to the foot of the premier division table.

Fortunately, league reconstruction means there will be no relegation this season.

However, ahead of this weekend's trip to face Dunfermline Knights, Judd refused to be downcast about the club's future.He said: "We have got a reasonable group of players, whom I am confident will come good.

"Obviously they had a stinker last week, but we have to move on and remember the previous week we managed to beat West of Scotland.

"I was in Holland when I got the news of last week's total and, although it is always disappointing to under-perform, I was not all that surprised because we are a pretty inexperienced unit."

This weekend's SNCL card has been moved to Sunday, with the eyes of the cricketing world on Scotland's ODI against England in Edinburgh tomorrow.

And Greenock can expect another tough test from a Dunfermline Knights side who, like Forfarshire, have settled into life in the top flight following promotion last season.

Indeed, the Knights, who feature the league's most prolific run scorer in South African Ally Gray and Safyaan Sharif, one of Scotland's most promising bowling prospects, made the perfect start by beating champions Aberdeenshire on the opening day of the campaign.

They were, however, heavily beaten by Clydesdale last week and Judd believes his players can travel to McKane Park in confident mood.

He said: "We will focus on our own game and doing the basics well. Realistically, there is probably going to be a bit more pain before we get back to winning trophies again, but I want to see us being competitive."

Greenock will not know until after today's international whether star player Richie Berrington will be released to face the Knights.

Willie Rowan, though, is ruled out through injury but teenager Alex Baum returns to bolster the middle order.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 18 Jun 10

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