Bates sure Hornets can weather the storm
First-team boss Roger Bates believes injury-ravaged Telford Hornets must make the best of their “baptism of fire” in Midlands Two West (North).
The newly-promoted Hornets sit rock bottom of the table having conceded 144 points in their opening two games, including last weekend’s 81-0 defeat at Newcastle.
With eight key senior players including skipper Jamie Vidor currently sidelined, Bates is already anticipating another tough afternoon tomorrow when they host Spartans.
But he remains confident their fortunes can change so long as they ride out the storm.
He said: “It’s been a baptism of fire, to put it mildly. It feels like it has been one thing after another.
“Our captain got a hamstring injury in the first minute of last week’s game. We’ve also lost Matt Bird, who was in excellent form, with a chest injury.
“It seems an odd thing to say because of how wide last week’s score was but if we had been able to field a full strength team, we might have been in with a chance.
“We’ve just got to make the best we can of this period. There are lessons we can learn which should help us later in the campaign.”
The Spartans sit seventh in the early season table with one win and one defeat on their record.
Bates continued: “We’ve had a lot of encouragement from teams who were in our position last year and say it took them a dozen or so games to find their stride.
“Players in this division are fitter and faster, there’s no question about that. But I wouldn’t say the jump in ability is all that much.
“It all comes down to fitness and we are hoping that is something we can develop over time. At the moment it is tough.”
