Marine put in some overtime (From Swindon Advertiser)

Marine put in some overtime

7:00am Friday 10th February 2012 in Rugby By Andy Warren

SUPERMARINE director of rugby John Godsell is hoping his side’s dedication will see them get back to winning ways in their rearranged clash with Trowbridge 2nds tomorrow.

The game was called off on Saturday due to the freezing weather conditions, but while the majority of other clubs spent their day in the warm watching the Six Nations, Godsell’s men were being put through their paces on the training field.

The newly-reinstalled Godsell is hoping their extra work will make the difference, and halt their two game losing streak which has threatened to derail the club’s challenge for promotion from Dorset & Wilts 1 North.

“We are being pro-active about things at the moment, and for that reason we trained on Saturday in a bid to get the team a little bit more gelled together,” he said.

“I don’t think many teams did that so I hope that will give us a little bit of an extra edge. But saying that, we would rather have played because none of the guys would want to be training.

“I think the break has done us the world of good to be honest, because we had a few guys carrying a couple of knocks which have now cleared up, and we can go into the game confident of success.

“We should not be losing two games in a row, and it is very important that we bounce back from that now. Every game is the most important for us now, the players know that and know what they have got to do which is to get out there and perform.”

With the cold snap set to continue, Godsell has given the game a 50-50 chance of going ahead, but if it does, Supermarine are set to give a debut to tighthead prop Ben Goodey who has been brought in from divisional rivals Fairford.

Godsell is still hopeful the game might be on, and is looking forward to sending a side onto the field which he believes is one of the strongest the club has seen in recent seasons.

“Ben is a very good young player and will add something to our side, I have no doubt about that,” he said.

“We have the chance to put a very good team out at the weekend, which will serve us well. We have a full strength squad and I think it could be one of the best since I have been here.

“But looking at the weather forecasts we may not get the chance, it could well snow and the temperatures could be down at freezing again, so we will have to wait and see.”

Elsewhere in the division, Fairfield play Avonvale and Minety take on Chippenham 2nds.

In Southern Counties North, Wootton Bassett meet Alchester in their rearranged game after it was postponed last week, while Swindon will play their rearranged clash at Reading Abbey looking to bounce back from their 36-23 defeat at home to Coney Hill in South West 1 East.

Neil Loader’s side have been working hard on their fitness this week in a bid to shake of any rustiness, with the majority of the squad having not played for three weeks because they were attending Adam Westall’s wedding on the day of the Coney Hill game.