MANY have said I am in the pocket of manager Ady Pennock.

I find Ady a delight to work with but I disagree with him on team selection and feel James Norwood and Dale Bennett should play every week.

I would open contract discussions now with Kelly, Russell and Norwood. Any other course of action would be churlish. However,  I do agree with him that Chris Stokes is not good enough for our best XI. David Hockaday is keen to sign him for Coventry City, but if Kelly is out with a knee injury sustained at Altrincham, I would call him back.

Despite two draws on the road we remain unbeaten this year, so why the negativity? Points will be lost that should not be but many more will be won. The play-off target can be achieved, especially if we all play our part.

FGR are now emerging as a real force in a strong league. There are many more good teams in the league, perhaps no outstanding ones but with every point having to be fought for it must be acknowledged we are doing well.

The asterisk handicap is being overcome. The rest of the season is vital. The end of it will be the time for criticism. Now there is so much at stake that what is needed is wholehearted encouragement from all of us. I know it will help and I believe that that is exactly what the playing staff deserve.

Of course not everything is perfect. On Saturday our display varied from the abject to the admirable. In the first half our defending was disastrous but the second half was different.

We scored a deserved equaliser and even with 10 men ended the stronger side. Strong running by Norwood and Bennett could easily have brought us a winner. We were so different from the team that had ended the second half on the run.

We know how Ady's team play. There is a back four and also four in midfield with of course two strikers, but that is just the basics.

It is how our midfield are deployed that has the Ady stamp. He is on record as saying he likes width and his team selection indicates that. The two wide midfield men are encouraged to attack down either flank. Playing as wide as they do they leave much for the central midfielders to do.

Ady has brought to the club players who can meet that challenge. Sinclair and Wedgbury have been excellent all season, and were especially so on Saturday. "Sincs" was my man-of-the- match.

The formation also asks much of the wide men. They have to chase back, tackle and give the full backs cover. They need to be energetic and always involved. This did not happen at Altrincham and the in-form home team took advantage.

The manager had to act and did so. The team was tweaked with Marwood and Guthrie changing places and the performance got better.

An equaliser was scored immediately after the introduction of James Norwood and a win was within our grasp. The sending off of Coles meant a rearguard action was needed and now our defence upped their game.

Charlie Clough grew in stature every minute and Bennett showed why he must never be left out. He made determined blocks and still had time for the pacy attacking runs that are his trademark. Nors did the same and the 10 men could have won a famous victory.

The back four, so diffident in the first half protected Russell so well he was never in real second half trouble. So much Alty possession came to nothing.