Bideford goalkeeper Paul Hider is set to team up with Truro City ahead of today's testing Blue Square Bet South clash at promotion-chasing Dover Athletic.
With Luke McCormick joining Oxford United on transfer deadline day, City boss Lee Hodges' number one priority was finding a replacement goalkeeper in time for today's big match in Kent.
Hodges said: "We have got a goalkeeper coming in and, fingers crossed, he will be signed on and travelling with us to Dover."
Hider – cover for former Truro goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe at Bideford – was set to sign for City last night after the Robins' boss, Sean Joyce, waived a seven-day notice of approach.
In midweek, Hider kept a clean-sheet as stand-in 'keeper for Saltash United in their goalless friendly against Plymouth Argyle at Kimberley Stadium, watched by Hodges.
City's new signings may not stop with a new 'keeper as the league's basement side – deducted ten points for entering administration last year – seek a boost in their bid to narrow a 16-point gap on second-bottom Sutton United.
Hodges said: "As well as a 'keeper, we are hoping that we could add another player, or two, over the coming weeks."
The City team are boosted by the return of Hodges after his one-match suspension which saw him sit out Truro's 2-1 defeat to fifth-placed Chelmsford City last Saturday.
It is a result, like many, that still irks Hodges, who watched – in frustration – from the sidelines last Saturday. The City boss admitted: "We are not that far off, as we proved last week. Dover are going to present another difficult challenge but the players here are used to that, week in, week out.
"They just get on with it and give it their best shot every time they go out and play. They all deserve medals, really, and I cannot speak highly enough of them all.
"They've got an incredible attitude when all is said and done, and they've had to prove that time and again throughout the most difficult of seasons."
Truro were beaten 3-0 at home by Dover at the start of December and Hodges is fully aware that Athletic will be seeking a double as they continue their promotion push.
The City boss said: "We know Dover are a good side. You only have to look at the league table to see what they are about, and where they want to be. One thing I know about my team is they will go out there and give it their all, again, and in a minute we are going to get the long overdue result we deserve."
No mention of returning the ball back to our keeper that resulted in the first goal or what the game was really like whereby they won the first half and we won the second, a too one sided report to take serious.
ReplyDeleteSorry the above was suppose to have been in respect of Dartford's official match report.
ReplyDelete