CLOSE the door! That's the feature of manager Rob Merry's weekly half-time team chat to his Coleford side.
"I dread to think how many times this season we have let sides back into a game," says Merry. "We did it against Whitecroft on Saturday, though to be fair to them they came back strongly and probably deserved the draw," he said.
Merry, in command of Coleford's senior team for the first time this season, reckons his side to be well worth a top four finish.
"We have plenty of games in hand on the leading sides and I'm happy enough we can finish in the top four. We are also into the final of the J.O. Roberts Cup so I'm certain we can say it has been a really good season," he said.
Merry says the strength of the team is in having two vastly experienced players in club captain Damien Edwards and the excellent Gary Standing, plus a rash of highly promising younger players including no less than eight under the age of 20.
He describes Danny Latham, who has scored 32 goals this season, as a really bright prospect. Another of the livewire young players is Ian Callow.
Both players scored against Whitecroft with the third coming from an own-goal.
Merry says: "We are a fantastic attacking side but we are forever leaving the door open at the back. Saturday's performance was probably typical of the way we have played all season."
•While Merry awaits a date for the final of the J O Roberts Cup, Huntley and Woolaston will play the final of the West Dean Charities senior cup at Lydney Town's ground this Wednesday evening (kick-off 7.30pm).