Banned Ballard backs returnees

30 Sep 2016 By David Watters

Didcot Town player-manager Andy Ballard is backing midfielders Declan Benjamin and Nick Thorne to make up for his absence from the action at Bishop's Cleeve in the EVO-STIK League Southern on Saturday.

The Railwaymen boss, pictured, will be watching the EVO-STIK League Southern Division One South & West clash from the sidelines after collecting his second red card of the season in last weekend’s 4-2 win over Bideford at the Draycott Engineering Loop Meadow Stadium.

The former Chesham United, Oxford City, Eastbourne Borough, Abingdon United and Slough Town midfielder is starting a four game ban but is confident the duo can make the difference for his fifth from bottom side when they return from injury at Kayte Lane.

Ballard, who took over as the club's permanent manager in March following a successful spell in caretaker charge, told the Oxford Mail on Friday: “I bring a lot of experience on the pitch and obviously that’s difficult to replace but I’ll be there on the touchline barking out instructions. That’s why it’s so important to have those two back, because they have plenty of higher league experience.”

Image courtesy of www.oxfordmail.co.uk

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Where next?

Darnton in charge after Hollick's exit Assistant manager Andy Darnton is holding the fort at EVO-STIK League Southern AFC Totton in the wake of Steve Hollick's midweek departure.