Saints can fire without Sharp, says Davies
Saints can fire without Sharp, says Davies
Saturday 03 September 2011
SAINTS' boss Mike Davies is backing his side to fire in today's televised clash at Llanelli despite losing striker Chris Sharp to AFC Telford United.
The 25-year-old marksman completed a move to the Blue Square Premier club in midweek after netting 22 times since his arrival at Park Hall in January 2010, but director of football Davies insists there’s no rush to find another forward.
“Obviously you never stop looking, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in the forwards we have,” he said.
“Nicky Ward has returned to the club, and we’ve got good forwards like Matty Williams and Alex Darlington.
“We feel that it is a good move for Chris, and it was an offer we could not refuse. It was a win-win situation for both parties.
The Saints now set their sights on a crunch televised clash at old adversaries Llanelli, the sides having played each other no fewer than six times last term.
“It’s always a difficult fixture for us and is the start of a big seven days with games also coming up against Neath and Bangor City,” added Davies.
“Although we’ve not made a great start by our standards, we have been helped by other results.”
TNS hope to be close to full strength, with winger Chris Williams back in training following a knee injury and defender Phil Baker returning to the ranks after paternity leave.
Meanwhile, Llanelli manager Andy Legg is sweating on the fitness of leading marksman Rhys Griffiths, who has topped the Welsh Premier scoring charts for the past six seasons.
Griffiths is rated only 50/50 with a calf tear after missing last weekend's 1-1 draw at Airbus UK Broughton.
"Rhys will know better that anyone whether he is fit to play," Legg says. "We would not risk him if he was not 100 per cent as we could then be without him for six or seven matches."
Legg acknowledges that meetings with Saints are special occasions.
"We always look forward to our battles with them. We have a special relationship with TNS and the games between us are usually entertaining," he told the Llanelli Star.
"I suppose you could say we have both stuttered along so far, but this is going to be a very tough campaign with a number of clubs having strengthened.
"I can envisage the champions losing up to five or six games this season which has been unheard of in recent times."
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