By Mark Currie, Daily Post
22 December 2004
Andy Dibble |
They always make cracks about goal-keepers having backache but it was close to the truth last Saturday
|
HE'S been in the business for more than 20
years but Wrexham goalkeeper Andy Dibble can't ever remember conceding a total
of eight goals in consecutive games.
The 39-year old veteran found himself in the firing line for a 3-0 defeat at
Milton Keynes Dons before picking the ball out of the net on no fewer than five
occasions last Saturday - the result of a woeful defensive display against
Hartlepool United.
"They always make cracks about goal-keepers having backache but it was close to
the truth last Saturday," he joked.
"On a more serious note, it's unusual for us because we like to think we have
been pretty good from a defensive point of view this season."
Dibble, who returned to first-team duty three weeks ago after a two-month
lay-off with a hand injury, said he had examined his own personal performance in
detail and remained confident in
his ability to do the job.
"I feel fine, it's just one of those things," he added.
"If I thought my form had suffered and I had to hold my hands up I would be the
first to admit it, but I don't think I could have done any more.
"Quite what the problem has been in the last two matches is difficult to pin
down, but it's something we'll have to deal with collectively as a team.
"Perhaps our play against Hartlepool bordered on the kamikaze at times, and if
you look at the goals they scored it's very unusual for me to face a one-on-one
situation in a game normally.
"On Saturday it happened maybe four times and I think all their goals were
scored from inside the penalty box."
But Dibble has now turned his attention towards the next game, at Bradford City
on Boxing Day, and he admitted that two straight defeats had put the Dragons
under increased pressure for the
often-crucial holiday programme of four matches in eight days.
"It's going to be a massive week for us," he said.
"We've had 10 points deducted through no fault of our own as players, but it's
up to us to make sure we start moving away from the wrong end of the table.
"We beat Bradford at the Race-course earlier in the season, and even up to the
game when I was injured at Tranmere we were pushing for the play-offs.
"We've had a lot of injuries to contend with since then, which haven't helped.
"But a few of the lads, including myself, are coming back now, so we have every
reason to feel confident we can kick on in the second half of the season," the
goal-keeper added.
"Obviously, though, we need to start doing that sooner rather than later and,
despite what's happened recently, I think we are capable of giving a good
account of ourselves on Sunday."
Sunday's opponents have twice been in administration, in May 2002 and February
this year, emerging from the second spell earlier this month.
They have announced that they will give Wrexham a donation equivalent to the
gate money paid by the number in excess of 600 travelling Dragons supporters - a
gesture welcomed by Race-course
boss, Denis Smith.
"It's a great gesture by Bradford, who have been through administration twice
before but without losing 10 points," he said.
"It goes to show there is a lot of goodwill out there towards Wrexham.
"I hope our fans turn up in the right sort of numbers to make it a worthwhile
fund-raising effort for us."
Smith, though, had more problems to confront yesterday when physiotherapist Mel
Pejic went down with flu, suggesting he might be absent for the remainder of the
week.
"As soon as one thing sorts itself out, another comes along to bring more
complications," he added..
"It's very frustrating at the moment but we can't allow that to get us down.
"It's my job to keep everyone bubbly but there's always a stage of who motivates
the motivator.
"All I seem to be doing is putting out fires instead of being involved in
positive work on the training field."