Jerry looks ahead to today’s FA Trophy match

Jerry gave his thoughts in the matchday programme ahead of today’s FA Trophy 4th Round tie against Peterborough Sports. Stream the match live for £5.99

The New Year has started as we left it to be honest, with so much uncertainty and worry as to how this season is going to end up. With two more positive Covid tests in the camp post Boxing Day it meant we couldn’t fulfil the Chippenham and Tonbridge games due to the risk of spreading the new variant.

All this has meant we had to all go into a 10 day isolation period again, stop training and go and get tested as staff and players. Thankfully no more positive tests were returned but as I write these notes it looks like we will have a few players missing again for today due to the Track and Trace isolation rules having been in contact with positive cases.

We returned as a main group Tuesday night and I could immediately see the group needed the session. When football is so stop start it’s really hard for players to build football fitness and get into a constant rhythm having not touched a ball for two weeks.

We have to look at the players who tested positive closely and see how they react physically post Covid. No one really knows the after effect this disease has on an individual, everyone seems to be reacting so differently.

Back to the good stuff the actual game of football. Today we welcome Peterborough Sports FC to Twerton Park in the last 32 of the FA Trophy. We hope they have a safe journey to and from Bath today.

This competition is a realistic chance for any of these players on the pitch to play at Wembley. What a great distraction this is for us as staff and players certainly in these difficult times and gives us hope of some real exciting times ahead.

Of course today will be another very tough challenge against a front foot lively attacking team who have had a recent promotion and obviously in good spirits in a very good cup run. We will need to be at our best and I have made sure we have prepared tactically as we would do for any other game by doing my detailed homework on them.

I have managed to extend both Grant Horton and Tom Mehew loans whilst James Taylor and Tommy Conway remain with us until the end of the season. Whilst on our enforced isolation period I have been non-stop in trying to recruit in both permanent and loan deals for players to help the group out for upcoming really busy period of games. I am hoping to get one deal done for today’s game and another that maybe joining us Tuesday.

I want to again thank you all for your continued support from the safety of your homes and pray we can all be back in this wonderful ground as a group real soon. One thing is for sure when you do all return we will make this place our home again as the atmosphere I’m sure will be bouncing.

Look after yourselves, stay safe “Up The Romans”.

Jerry