Davis throws down the challenge to his reserves

Steve Davis says he and his assistant Neil Baker gave the club’s fringe contingent a kick up the backside ahead of our ‘reserves’ with a comfortable win over Blackpool yesterday. The behind closed door friendly was arranged to give those not playing in the first XI a chance to play and stake their claim for a place.

They responded superbly with a resounding win and Steve Davis told the club’s official web-site: “Neil and myself got the players not in the first team together and gave them a bit of a kick up the backside. We were just saying to them that with a few injuries that we shouldn’t be looking outside for a replacement.

“In this situation we should have players here ready to step in and be ready. It was a challenge for them more than anything and I want them to give it a good go and increase the competition.

  He added: “We do have some good players here but there are some who are not quite ready to go in. They have to improve and show that they are good enough and can be relied upon. They have to show that every day in training and show in the Under-21 games or reserve games we organise.”