Jermaine Grandison: Town can kick on

Town go to Southend tomorrow after securing their first League One victory of the season last week.

They won 2-1 at Oakwell thanks to Jordan Clark's dramatic late winner and ,after three points at the sixth time of asking, the 24-year-old centre-back believes they can kick on.

Grandison said: "It does play on your mind a little bit and a first win is important, because it kick-starts our season. We also needed that first league win, because it was starting to play on people's minds.

"The longer it went on the worse it would have been, but that's gone now and we need to go and do it again tomorrow and get a few more over the next few weeks."

Manager Micky Mellon has referred to coping with the departures of Connor Goldson and Ryan Woods as being like a "bereavement."

Stalwart Grandison, who is now the club's longest-serving player with 156 games, had an established partnership with Goldson and admits it's been a shock to the system.

After making the 150th League appearance of his career last week, Grandison said: "It felt like that definitely, because no one thought they were going to leave and they were both in the team.

"Then you turn up to the game and he (Goldson) wasn't there - and everyone's talking but no one was really told what was going on - the players' minds weren't fully on the game.

"The game he left was a bit weird for me, because I was so used to playing with him."

A departure is also an opportunity for someone else and Grandison believes another strong partnership is developing between him, Mark Ellis and fit-again Nat Knight-Percival.

He said: "We've been working in training and the rest of the defenders have all gelled together so we've got a good, solid base at the back.

"It's fitted together really well. I played with Mark last season anyway and with Natty coming back really strong, it's looking good."

Another player to benefit from players leaving is Clark, who was Town's match-winner at hometown club Barnsley.

Grandison said: "I think a lot of lads have been waiting for their opportunity to show what they can do.

"With those two (Goldson and Ryan Woods) leaving a lot of players have got to step up now and show what they can do.

"I've always thought Jordan's a quality player when I've seen him in training. I've felt for him a bit, because he hasn't really got much of a chance.

"He's got all the ability so it's just good to see him out there and doing well and looking like he's enjoying it."