Sensei Phil: Hello and welcome to your award winning Talking Shrimpers podcast. I'm your host Charlie and with me today I have Chris and we also have Jamie from our FA Cup opponents, Berkhamstead F C. So, first of all, welcome guys. Chris, how are you today? How was your weekend? Yeah, pretty good. Nice early start in the morning as usual. But luckily you guys have gone your clocks have gone back and ours have gone forward, so Well I haven't got back just yet, have they? Not just yet, but I think it's Yeah. So it's now end of the month start rather than a five o'clock start, so Yeah, exactly. But yeah, rather you than me. So and Jamie, yourself, how how have you been this week? Yeah, not too bad. Not too bad, very busy. But yeah, all good, all good. Looking forward to to Saturday's game. We're very much looking forward to Saturday's game, yeah. Really, really looking forward to it. Absolutely. Well, we'll s we'll dive straight into it. obviously we've got yourselves In the last qualifying stage of the FA Cup on Saturday. Now for yourselves, obviously you had was it you bait Redditch to reach this round, was it last round you two? That's right, yeah, w yeah, Redditch away won two nil. sort of classic game of two halves, first half hanging on a bit, second half made our quality show. It's it's it was a good game. Yeah. yeah, a few of us went up for it, it was really good. Really good day out and furthest you've ever got in the competition this is now. Yeah, no, exactly what we was about to say. For you, this is the f yeah, I you're quite a newly formed team, aren't you, is it? From two thousand and nine you were founded, is that right? Yeah, so it's a so strange story. I mean typical story in many ways, but but strange for us is that the the the club was reformed in two thousand and nine. but its history as Berkham said town F C goes all the way back to the First World War. and that's why the nicknames are comrades. Right. So so our history goes a long, long way back as as a club as a whole. but there is a sense in which the current formation of it is a bit of a Phoenix club. So we always talk about it it's weren't funny when you get into records and all that kind of thing. Like our record attendance we we played in front of would really be I think it was the FA VARs in the early part of the century where we played at Villa Park. in front of like eight, nine thousand people. But that was the previous incarnation of the club. So in two thousand nine a group a group of people bought the club back. and we've been on a bit of a bit of a journey up up the leagues since then. So so but in any iteration of the club this is the furthest furthest we've got in the FA Cup. So big achievement for us. Yeah so so what was your reaction then when you saw that obviously you've got us us at home well so you can watch the the manager's interview on Andrew Christievan he he after the after the The Redditch game was interviewed and and we always get the same question when your small club is like, What do you want in the draw next round? And the the answer's always we really want a winnable home tie or a big away one. so we're all listening in on Talk Sport and when we we got South End there was a lot of punch in the air and it was a ri a great tie for us, big away day. And then it the thoughts immediately turn to like, my god, that's a that's a big club, we've gotta we've gotta turn it on a bit here in terms of the the the how we how we arrange ourselves as an outfit 'cause we're we are volunteer run. Pretty much. So we've got a we've got an amazing team of volunteers and our boarders are all volunteers have all got full time jobs. So the admin of it is has has been a push but but as I say we're we're looking forward to it and it was a really it was a great moment to to get the tie and everyone's really excited about it. Yeah, no, absolutely, and I suppose like you mentioned it it's one of two things, isn't it? You kind of hope for maybe a a lesser team when you know actually you've got the first round proper at stake, you know, just one game away. But exactly There's nothing to say. I mean, South End fans will tell you that we don't take this round for granted for s that's for sure. I mean you it's only recent seasons that you look at Sittingbourne for example, you know, everyone would have put us down as a as an easy win for that and, you know, they come out with a win. So it's you know, by no means do does South End look at this tie and think it's it's a done and dusted tie, that's for sure. but naturally you look at the line ups and yeah, we will be we'll be favourites, obviously a home crowd, you know, we we got big numbers there and stuff and I suppose for your guys you mentioned you played at Villa Park under your sort of previous sort of regime but as the new newer era now I suppose this is quite you know one of the biggest sort of crowds they played at, is it? Definitely, yeah, but and and it's it feels like every season under the current kind of board and management we're taking a big step forward. We had so we were at step three a couple of seasons ago. We got promoted, won the league, and we had a a really tough season. The club was going through a bit of change of ownership, change of stewardship at the top. We had lot of turnover in terms of players. And then the previous manager, Chris, he came back again halfway through that season once the ownership had been re-established and and everything was kind of on an even keel. Bought some of the players back. We had a great season a couple of years ago. We we finished second, a close second to Rail Bedford, and then c came up through the playoffs. And that was a big achievement for us because we had we sold out at home, which had never really happened. So we've got a sort of two thousand capacity ground or one thousand nine hundred and sixty three if you want to be exact amount of it. And we completely completely packed the place out. It was a brilliant day. And I my main memory of it is not really being able to see the game because I was got two or three people deep. So that was great. And then we had a brilliant season last season, our first time back at Step Three, we played in the in the South Southern Division South. we got to playoffs again. We end up getting Farnum away, who are doing really well at the moment. Yeah, yeah. And we took a huge or a away crowd Farnham and we're not known for taking massive away crowds, normally with the type of side where the players and the fans will travel on the one coach. but we took we took a load of people to Farnum and that was a very proud day for the club. So this again is a kind of another step forward for us under the current current management and stewardship of the club, which is great. Yeah, it must be really exciting times for you in that and I say for this weekend. And I presume you're expecting quite a large sort of following coming up, are you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've got a few coaches coming up because South End's not a million miles away anyway, we a lot of people will be making their way by car and everything. So I know I'm trying to organise some of the coaches, so I know that we've got a few hundred people on the coaches. fantastic, yeah, no, superb. It's always I mean, Chris, you're you've probably seen on TV, it makes such a difference when we have a good sort of away following. And stuff like in the no lower leagues as you mentioned, you know, people are sort of supporting second teams and stuff and they might not really be their their first team if you like. So to get a really good away following, you know, really helps with the atmosphere as well. So yeah, really looking forward to it. But as you mentioned, you know, we probably don't if I'm being brutally honest, we don't know too much about Berkhamstead. So tell us a little bit about your side, who who you sort your danger man, who are the players that we should sort of be paying a bit of attention to? So I'd say There's a there's a couple that spring to mind. Our our talisman is our captain, JJ Lacey. He's been at the club for a number of years now. He's usually our top goal scorer, creates a lot of chances, takes penalties, he's a a really good player on the ball. and we we try and play football. We're not one of those kind of non big sites that hump it forward and just try and hope for the best. We do try and play and try and have people on the ball, which some the manager's really keen on at the moment. so JJ's JJ's the big man. he's not a big guy that that sort of described him incorrectly basically. He's he's our talisman. Luke Andrews plays sometimes right back, sometimes centre mid. He's a very good player, scored in the last round against Redditch. and Ryan Blake, who's got pedigree in the FA Cup, he scored a kind of a vital goal in one of the early proper rounds for Chesham a couple of seasons ago. I was televised. So Ryan Blake played for us for a few seasons ago. He came back last season. He's having a really good season, kind of a bit of a purple patch. He's scoring goals, always a threat. really like clever player on the ball. So that like going forward, that's who we've got. We've got a really solid defensive unit as well. Our pla fans player of the season last year was a guy called James Girteen. He's he was rock solid at Redditch. G Mar Prosper, John Mar Prosper, sorry, is is is kind of centre mid, defensive midfielder, sometimes drops in the back. So they're the players that that can make a difference for us. but a lot of goals come through J J but we're we're starting over the past couple of weeks to get goals from from different places across the pitch, which is which is really important 'cause you know, we can become we don't want to be one of those sides that becomes over a line on on one blow. Yeah, of course, yeah, yeah. It's very easy to then sort of play against, isn't it, when you've kind of got Just that one outlet if you like and that. So so what's Chris Devine d is it Dovane Chris Dovane is it? Is that his last name? Yeah. What's he like as a coach manager? How's his what's his sort of style of play? So as I say, he it last season we I mean we had a chant with Burko with score at the end. We were a very resilient side, very fit, like never stop trying, push people all the way. But I think everyone at the club will kind of acknowledge that last season we got to the playoffs, I think there was a part of it that we were a bit of an unexpected package in the league at that time. We were newly promoted. Last season time we'd been at that level we got we had a really bad time of it. and we were catching people on the hop a little bit. this season, he put our put out a statement earlier in the season, did a did an interview and he said he'd trying to transition us to be more of a ball playing side, a bit more possession orientated. Yeah. and that kind of thing. We we tend to favour a smaller squad, there's not loads of which is obviously challenging when then when there's injuries. But he's quite matter of fact, quite no nonsense. If you look at his last couple of interviews, we we had a little dodgy run in the league recently, which we managed to correct on the weekend with a three nil win away at Yates. Yeah. We we he there was a post match after Scholling where he was very frank about about the ti about the team and what he expects from them. So th so he's very very open, very honest, but he wants a team to To be possession focused, play the ball, keep the ball on the ground, play good football, but maintains kind of high standards of fitness and that kind of stuff. We like a lot of clubs will say this, they they sort of never give up, but genuinely we don't. Like if there is a sniff of anything towards a sort of ninetieth minute and and beyond, we are absolutely going for it. Yeah. Well, you mentioned you won three nil at the weekend, it takes puts you up to is it third in the league? So you you're doing quite well in the league. Is that correct? Sadly not third, we're eight. Which is a few things. Right, I'm gonna blame I'm gonna blame Phil for that bit 'cause the notes that I've got here, he's got a three nil win and third in the league, up to third in the league. So yeah, apologies then for that. But I think we had been that high earlier in the season, but yeah, we were we had a couple of tough results. And then yeah, we got a three nil win on the weekend, which was which was really good. Yeah. and that followed up from the from the Redditch game as well. So really good to kind of be back on four. Yeah. Well yeah, okay, apologies for bringing up the table there. But like you say, b on the back of a three nil win, the players I'd imagine then are feeling you know, quietly confident coming into the game, I would imagine. You know, it's it's a game I'd imagine they'll be they don't really need to be hyped up for anyway. No, no, they're they're really excited for it, they're itching for it, they're really every everyone at the club's really, really psyched up for it and hyped to to go. There's loads of people coming up and the players really want to do well and Yeah, of course. You know, like Chris will tell you, we're We're i in it to win it. You lot of clubs go for Yeah. They're they're definitely in it to to get a result. we we've not been to first round proper. There's a lot of players in the side who have achieved quite a lot of the grassroots level of the game, promotions, cup runs, all the rest of it. J J, funnily enough, was the top scorer in the FA Cup a couple of seasons ago when he he was playing for Biggles Wade on a kind of he had a a season on break from Burko when we had A lot of change at the club and he played for Bigglesway and he scored quite a lot of goals in the in the early rounds in the qualifying rounds. Yeah. And then the golden ball. So there's photos of him with the golden ball. But he's not in the first round proper. So everyone's really wanting us to get there. So you would have played a lot of games to get to this point already, as as many other of the teams at this sort of level, you know, we're going Yeah, this is the National League. This is but is it fourth or fifth game? Is it this will be the fourth game? Yeah. So we're coming through in the first. First quantifying round. I think once you get out of step four, I think, I might be wrong on on non legals. You you don't have to do the prel preliminary round, so you come in at first. Yeah, yeah, that's correct. Yeah. It's worth about ten thousand pounds or something to you guys if you win it as well. That's the other thing is the the the prize money's good as as well. And that really matters for a c for a club like us. I'd say like we are we have a really good ownership of the club, like it's really consistent and solid with Eddie is the majority shareholder. Runs company called Glen Carl, you'll notice on all of our shirts and that kind of stuff. so the the the the ownership is steady. but you know what it's like if you're a smaller club. The everything's always kind of yeah, we know very well. Yeah. Any pound go it goes a long way, doesn't it? And just like for a club that for yourself it's run by like volunteers and stuff and I I presume the players are part time players or guessing they have jobs midweek. Yeah, they're they are, they are, yeah. I mean the Fewer month contract and all the rest of it, but they are all yes it's a it's a it's an evening and s evenings and weekends sort of thing. Yeah, yeah. And this is exactly what the FA Cup is, isn't it? You look at it and you go, You've got the postman, you've got the electrician, you've got, you know, the teacher and stuff and and it's just all part of it, isn't it? And you know, they'll go back to work at the weekend and there's a lot of good stories around it, yeah. There's a lot of good stories. Yeah. So it must be I mean, in the town it must be a real good feel around the town and stuff. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I run arts. Or jointly run our support association with a few others and I'm getting WhatsApps about it every other day, people saying I've put my tickets, I'm on the coach and all the rest of it. So Yeah, th every so often you get a thing. I say it's happened over the past few seasons, we've as we've grown as a club, every so often you get a a moment where it feels like it catches on and people start thinking about it. So yeah, this is definitely one of them. Yeah. So what just last who what's your I'm presuming anyone who supports sort of Berkhamstead is they're they live in Berkhamstead or they've got some sort of family connection. Is that is that how you become involved in Berkhamstead? Yeah, so I'm from nearby town called Kings Langley, which is near Watford, so you'll see ha the Burkhost scarf is hanging on a Watford scarf up there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was always a bit of a Watford fan, so I've never I've never tasted true glory as a foot as a football fan. But so so I moved to Berkhamsted in twenty fourteen. I was always a bit of a non league tourist. I always used to go and watch like Lewis or Dalitch Hamlet and various teams just around just to just enjoy the kind of atmosphere. And started to go into Burko more and more and then some school dad friends and I decided one year we're gonna get season tickets because we were coming in all all the time anyway. Yeah. and gradually I kind of just got more and more kind of involved and chatting to people around the club. I work in advertising and I said to one of the other directors, you know, if you ever want any help with marketing, just give me a shout because I can I might be able to help you out and no no charge all the rest of it. Yeah. And my friend at the time, Andy, his dad had been involved in kind of grassroots football and he Watch out because as soon as they know you can do something, you'll be right in there. Keep it at arm's length, I'm not gonna do too much. And now here I am organising coach trips to South Africa. Exactly, yeah. So so it it spirals. But we've got a really good group that have kind of had a similar journey in one of our fans, Tim he's been on the been on the radio recently talking about it. He was a South End season ticket holder for twenty five years. wow incredible now is a Burko season ticket holder, lives locally and so he was very emotional when the draw was made so he's really looking forward. I think he's looking forward to Saturday but he's also slightly terrified. Yeah I can imagine he's yeah that it's a conundrum he never thought he'd have to face, is it really yeah you never do. You never do. Yeah but that's my that was my journey into Burko. But yeah you you're you're right that a most of our fans are local and Really our growth as a club has been families. We're a very family oriented c club and we're we're really welcoming of kids at the games and stuff like that. So that's a lot of the fans actually. And I can imagine quite a few families on Saturday coming up. Yeah, and I can imagine like that fan to player sort of reaction and connection is really strong as well. It's that real community club. Yeah, very much so. And we've got our fan favourites and all the rest of it. Obviously at non league level there's something that's changed all the time, but there's a few players that really put fans love. brilliant. Well just before we go, we always like to get a bit of a a score prediction. So we're gonna ask you before you leave, what what what do you predict for Saturday's result? I've gotta be an optimist. I'm gonna go three one Burko. Three one. You know what? Yeah, you've probably seen our results that we you know, are the threat you we we don't keep too many clean sheets, so you never know. but Chris Garland, what what what about yourself? well well well our home form's been pretty poor, so it's not been the best. we've got some injuries, so I reckon free one the other way. We're gonna take it three one. Yeah. And then I'll finish. I'll I'll see us trying to keep our clean shit. It's in it's interesting that you say about your trying to play sort of football you're a football inside as opposed to you know, your typical kind of rough it up and sort of long ball. So hopefully it'll make for a really entertaining game. But what shall I go with? I think I can see us conceding, I just think that's that's in us at the moment. So I'm gonna go four one win. but either way I'm sure it's gonna be a fantastic day. you know, we wish you good luck for the season and you know, and who knows we may see you on see you on Saturday. Yeah, great. I'll see you on the weekend. Fantastic, Jamie. Take care. All right now. Cheers, mate, bye bye. Fantastic, brilliant. Well yeah, something to look forward to on Saturday and we'll you know we'll get into that a bit later as well and we'll move on to Boston shortly as well. But just before we get there, we've got a little bit of academy news. So there's a few games that have gone on lately. So the latest round of the Wave Championship saw Southend lose four two to Swindon. you know, really unfortunate result there with goals from Jelloshow and Matthew Blake with the goals there. And then the under nineteens, they played Dawkin, and they had a real promising win there. Six nil winners there for the under nineteens. again, Matthew Blake was on the score sheet twice there, along with Logan Hamlet, and then Thomas Telford and Leo Filamarino each got a goal there to finish the game six nil. and the under seventeens, I think it was a double. I think they played on the same day, I believe. and they played Roxham and they come out eight two winners. hat trick from Oscar Ziech, James Branch with two Alfie Hobday, Billy Doy and Lucas Foreman all completing the scoring there. So some really good results there for the Academy. And you will have seen as well they've progressed to the next round at the FA Youth Cup a trophy they've done so so well in last last season, you know, up against the likes of Wrexham and Swindon. you know they went on a really, really good run. so they're playing tomorrow night at Roots Hall. they have got Needham Market. So tickets I think are still on sale, so if you can make it, get yourself down to Roots Hall. Danny Heath and the likes down there, they've got a really good team there, and let's hope for another another successful FA Youth Cup run. And then moving on to the ladies just before we get to Boston. They played Sudbury Reserves away yesterday and they took the lead. Through Sophie Stack, they won one nil. Sophie Stack, I think she scored her rebound from the penalty save it was, and finished, yeah, one nil the final result, so that's back to back wins for them. So for interim manager Daniel Mann, could he be considered the next manager? obviously Nick moved on a couple of weeks ago, so yeah, he's done brilliantly with the girls there, back to back wins and I think I've put them up to third or fourth, so they're doing really, really well. said before with the ladies' teams that they start you know, they had a real tricky start to the season, some really difficult opposition teams that I'm sure will be up there come the end. So they're now finding their rhythm and yeah, doing really, really well. So yeah, good luck to the ladies. I've got a couple of player changes coming up soon as well, haven't they? They have, yeah, so I think you will have seen is it Molly the goalkeeper, Molly she's going travelling, I think, at the end of the year, so there was a lot of concern about my god where she's moving on to and stuff, but she's she's going travelling, so they're a goalkeeper short, so we're looking I think Caitlin has also moved on, so they've put out if there's any ladies that are listening handy between the sticks, get in touch, I'm sure the ladies will be more than happy to to take a look at you and you could find yourself playing. For South End ladies come the end of the end of the year. But yeah, they're they're definitely now finding their stride and their rhythm. They're yeah, really doing really well. So Chris, on to Boston. Now I was at work, so I wasn't able to watch it unfortunately, but I understand you would have watched it, was it on the zone? Yeah. Yeah, it was a bit of a snorkeling. yeah, I was I was listening to it intermittently on the radio and Yet again, that clean sheet seems to elude us, doesn't it? It we seemed I mean, look, take nothing excuse me, take nothing away from the strike, was it within sort of the opening ten, twenty seconds, wasn't it? That yeah, about forty yeah, about forty seconds I it was. Yeah, it was a stunning strike. It was Bostok picked it up, didn't he? And look, from thirty five yards out, you know, you nine times out of ten you go, yeah, feel free to have a shot from there 'cause, you know, many a time you see him Blaze over the bar and over the stand and everywhere else, but he finds one that goes absolute top corner. look, Joe Duncan can't do nothing about that. I you can put any goalkeeper in, it's you know he's actually the mistake happened at top closing him down. Yeah, so they didn't close this the striker down. So but it was a yeah top quality strike. Yeah, absolutely. But you must sit there and think. I mean I certainly didn't throw here we go because all of a sudden you think yeah they're gonna really put that block in now, make it very difficult for us to to sort of get get through them. but we we persevered a little bit, took our time and I think it was a was it a Route One ball forward by Duncan that was nodded on by McCaddam and Jake Rooney, I think, sort of miscontrols it, doesn't he? And allows Pouler to race into the box, cross him for Omachery who's got that habit in the box, hasn't he, been at right place, right time and does very well, I thought, of getting his body in front of the defender there to sort of toe poke it home. Yeah, very much flick through, yeah. Yeah, so as you say, route one. it was a bit of a hit and hope and nice little flick on and the mistake obviously happened, but Papula was in the right place right time and really pushed forward into the box. Yeah. and then found Omacheri on the far stick. who all you had to do was touch it to put it in the back of the net. It was and he would yeah, as you say, was running the right place to do it. bit of a s bit of a shame for Boston, I thought the result of the end of the game. 'cause they they played well considering they got what smashed six nil the the week before. and we were all I think all of us predicted a high scoring game for us. And it just never happened. I mean we Yeah, it's well, Elma Cherry went off injured after what, thirty seven minutes and then Cardwell went off half time. and it was the first time we see those two play together and we've been asking for that all season. And it just d I don't it just didn't seem to to clip very well. Yeah, I I was gonna I was gonna ask you on that. you know, it's something that we've mentioned that, you know, we've always spoke about that partnership and how would it pan out and how would it work and you mentioned that the you know We saw it sort of for the first sort of thirty eight minutes or so until sort of Promise went off injured. But how d did you see it had the have any sort of potential? Was there some makers in there? I think it's got potential, yeah, because it was certainly the Cardwell played a little bit further back than Omacheri was. so it what it was yeah, it's it was like a it was more like a four four one one as opposed to a four four two. Yeah. and it seemed to work. for for the very short time it was there because it did give them a bit more dimension. Yeah. I would have preferred possibly the other way round with Amacherry playing probably that number nine role. Okay. 'cause he holds the ball up a little bit better than Cardwell does. but I think Omacherry's pace was a was obviously being used a bit more going forward. It allowed the back I mean the back four seemed to play a little bit deeper with With old acre standing in front of them. and it that's that that was working well. The midfield looked a little bit sort of unsure and a bit disjointed where they were. Right. And then obviously then you had the two two up front 'cause I think the change of shape obviously threw them slightly a little bit. But but Boston were playing really well for that thirty eight minutes. So it was difficult to say whether it was our shape that was causing the problem or them playing a lot better than we expected. Yeah. But it was different and it has potential, I think it could work. but it just needs more time I think. Yeah. I mean we're playing that two up front. Do you find that we kind of lose our whip a little bit? Do you think we play a little bit more narrow because of that or I think we play quite more for the first half we were quite quite good at the whip. Okay. especially with Vonte going down the side and Papula down the other side. Yeah. when Armacherry came off I think it was Kamara came on. Right. Or was it Kamara came on for Carbwell? I can't remember which way round it was. But when Carb when when when when he came on, they they seemed to go a little bit more narrow then. W as opposed to sta staying wide. And I think the wings gave them the the advantage of going down the yeah, going down the wings did give a bit more advantage. Yeah. But Von Zay played well down the other side and their their commentators were mentioning him quite a few times. Yeah, he's saying how the width is working for them. Yeah, he's certainly starting to really show his class now, isn't He's a real got a real engine on him, hasn't he? And he's such a sh you know, such a physical player that maybe in the beginning of the season that's someone we're sort of crying out for, that physicality and stuff, and maybe now, you know, he's shown a little bit more of that and yeah, he's certainly you know, becoming a standout player for us, absolutely. Look what We'll talk about what now we've mentioned, you know, b both Cardwell and Promise both come off. now obviously with Zit Yabo that's gone back after he's only his twenty eight minute stint he had for us, you know, in the as a sub, he's gone back and unfortunately that re leaves us real, real short going forward in an area that was already short anyway. you know, we spoke about the need in to to bolster that area and at the moment now you look at both Promise and unfortunately for Promise we just can't seem to get more than forty five minutes out of him, can we? And that's the frustrating thing that we knew he's he's had that in his career, you know, his injury concerns and fitness levels and and even cardware in recent years, as recent you know, seasons has had a similar issue that, you know, he's had that sort of niggle with the calf and whatnot. So To have them both come off and then not have a sort of an out and out striker to then come on to replace them, I think that really highlights where we're really weak. In an area that we kind of knew anyway, didn't really need highlighting, I suppose. But yeah, you you'd like to think now that we will certainly start looking at bolstering in that area because if it is a it's a ps if it's an injury that's gonna keep them both out for a period of time Yeah, it's you know, we're gonna really struggle there, aren't we? I mean no disrespect, we've got Berkhamstead this this weekend, we've probably got enough in the squad to to get a performance in, but you look at the week after against the Halifax side and then yeah, you know, it's a completely different test, isn't it? yeah, a bit more physical against Halifax, I reckon. Yeah, and it was interesting though, the the the guy from Berkhamsted saying, you know, Berkested are a a a a footballing side, not a yeah, yeah. not a hit and hope side, so I I that's gonna be that's gonna I think play probably to our advantage a little bit more. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And yeah, and obviously missing I mean it gives us an opportunity do we go to the to to to a couple of the younger guys in there. I mean we just heard the youth squad have been banging goals in left, right and centre and the under you know the under twenty three's are doing that well so do we sort of see if one of those guys can step up for an FA Cup game. Yeah, I mean it makes you wonder, doesn't it? Because we look at like likes of Jack Stone, for example, and Nikai Zlattev, and then they've gone out on loans but potentially it could be something they've already earmarked them for. You don't know that you know, we've also got Rico Rico as well. So and again Dyer's mentioned that he's earmarked sort of twenty minutes or so for him. So could that be a first sort of glimpse of seeing what he's got to offer? but you've got to remember, you know, he's been out for a long period of time with an injury, so you know, we've got to gotta nurse him the right way as well. So I'm sure there'll be a few players we've got back well as well that hasn't featured for us yet. I'd imagine we'll probably see him get some minutes as well. So there's gonna be plenty of changes I'm sure. There's gonna be a change at the back end as well with Goody being injured as well. Goody is going off as well, yeah, exactly. So it's kind of These areas now that we you know, you look at and you think, Well, we need need some strength with that n I mean, Diana's he's kinda as an ine that he's not gonna sort of talk about transfers anymore because when he had done and I think, you know, maybe that's a little bit naivety of him as a young new manager, you know, he's a bit maybe a little bit too honest at times. and don't get me wrong, like we all wanna hear like if we've got this player lined up and this player lined up and then like he says, if it doesn't happen all of a sudden there's all sort this doom and gloom and negativity around it. So you never know, it might surprise us with a couple of signings this week just ahead of the the fixture and you know, we'll be having a different conversation next week. but aside from that, obviously going to the second half and as you mentioned, for what was a superb goal for Boston, I guess anything you can do, we can do better. And No, exactly I'd be ch I'd be testing the the strength of that net now for the next game because Yeah. you know, the integrity of whether the post is still in the right place and not big or anything. Two stunning strikes into that top corner there. so you know, it's just the you anything you can do we can we can match or do better and s lo and behold in the what ninety fourth minute we decide to try and rip the net off as well. Yeah, and it it's again it's one of those games where you think, s it's I mean would you have looked at it at potentially as like drops put points dropped at at one all. Especially that you look at how Boston, you know, Yeovil sort of brushed them aside the week before and look, now I didn't expect us to to come in a signal, don't get me wrong, I I predicted a four nil win. I still thought we would win comfortably, but I thought that Boston would there'd definitely be a reaction there and then but I didn't expect, you know, to leave it that late and I suppose that's signs of a of a good team that when you you know, we've had it against us, haven't we? Likes of Carlisle done it to us, you know, right at the depth and so for us to now be that team and I thought, come on, he's you know, we know he's a threat, you know, he's we know he's capable of scoring scoring goals and I thought what's root he done so well 'cause I think at the time he had like his back to the goal really. But he just had that awareness, you know, knew exactly where the goal was and, you know, spun round put his foot right through it and I don't think he's gonna hit a cleaner shot all season. No, it was a great shot. It was a stunning, stunning shot. but as you say, I felt sorry for Boston to be honest. I thought they deserved at least a point. They they played really, really well. kept us quiet. Most of that second half we were pretty quiet and not not able to do much. Yeah. and it's not like one of those games where we've had had this season where you look at it and we've had so many chances to put the game away and yeah chances. We just didn't have the chances. Yeah. and there was that definite definite showing from them that they were reacting to that six nil loss. Showing the fans that they can play football. and then unfortunately for them we unfortunately for us as well or fortunately for us and unfortunately for them, we managed to get that shot away. stole the points. Yeah. I mean I saw on the highlight reel, I think it was it Lewis Twamley, I think he had a couple of opportunities that sort of sort of went a begging. But Yeah, there's a couple that rolled across the face of the goal and as you say, nothing sort of clear cut. Yeah, nothing nothing there. I mean I I don't think for the in for that that entire second half, I don't think their keeper made a save. Yeah. Really per se that that jumped out to me th as a as a as a an opportunity that we should have should have put away. yeah. We had, you know, the odd pass go through, the odd ball roll across the front of the front of the goal that if someone had been following in you'd have expected them to put but there just it wasn't just wasn't there. Just a pump bite, yeah, yeah. No. Yeah. But is that something encouraging to see because as I say we've had we've been at the other end of it where we been so dominant against teams and then we've just not found a way. Whereas this is a slightly different maybe performance in terms that we haven't been necessarily maybe at our best or we found it hard to find opportunities, yet when it matters we've been able to find a bit of quality just to make it make it count. Yeah, probably. it was certainly the yeah it needed a bit a bit of quality at the end t to to break them. and And we did find it, which was great. the the game was drifting into a a one all draw that was gonna be a disappointment for us. especially the fact we took like six hundred and fifty odd fans up there as well, which was yeah showing for us. again. so they got to saw th they got to see two wonderful goals. yeah, that and they probably b because it was right right in front of them. So yeah, I mean they travelled home happy with a two one win. Having seen that and Yeah. So, yeah. Well, I think it's it's a crucial three point, isn't it? I mean we it's not going to defy our season, but I think if we want to do anything this season, we've got to try and stick as close as we can to Bournewood. Now Bornwood, they're running away with it at the moment, they're looking unstoppable, they really are. but you just wanna keep trying to chip away and keep keep your own momentum in the hope that there'll be a freak result against Boreham Wood and, you know, your result goes against, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely. And it's I mean, I think for us, it's staying within that second and third sort of position, to get that home tie, one less qualifying game, I think will make a hell of a difference and yeah, and like you say, as long as you can kind of keep the h on the heels of Boreham Wood and keep the pressure on them and You that's that's where you wanna be on. We've got to play them obviously twice still. So there's six points that we can steal back. Yeah. And all star doing it's only a couple But if we keep that pressure on, you know, all it takes is one or two games for them to trip up. We don't want to rely on having like we've done in the past, you know, that that big run to the playoffs where we've had to go through and guarantee ourselves ten wins in a row or something like that. We wanna make sure that we're there or thereabouts and keeping that pressure on. at the end of the season and then you never know what's gonna happen. They go for a rough patch, they have a couple of injuries. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe we've had our rough patch at the beginning of the season and that's it for us now. We're gonna just, you know, keep keep putting these these games away. And that's you know and that's the thing. It doesn't matter how you win, you know, f three points is three points. yeah, we we all predicted a big win against Boston against against Boston but A two one win scoring in the ninety ninety fourth, ninety fifth minute. It doesn't make a difference here. Three points is three points. so that's what we've got to keep keep doing. We've got to keep getting those points in the bag. Yeah. and that was that was encouraging to see that. That they didn't give up. They didn't you know, it players going off injured, you know, it was a a change squad in the second half and they didn't give up. They just carried on playing. And I think that's where we may like in the last couple of seasons really that we we'd come across like the this game, for example, against like Boston and too many times last season we were dropping points, you know, we were drawing far too many and we seem to now being able to turn those draws into and you look at Yeoville, you know, from two nil down with that comeback twin three two and Dyer's said, you know, Look if we're gonna lose, I'm gonna go our guns blazing trying to win it and And I think we've seen that this season we've lost four. And if you do that, the chances are you're probably going to win more than you you draw. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? That'll make a difference. So yeah, I think that's really exciting to see and stuff. And yeah, like you say, you wanna this season, you wanna have it in your hands. You know, you wanna dictate your own sort of fate and things, don't you? and I think as well with our squad now, it's it's reassuring looking that okay. We can make two or three changes at half time. We've seen it before, he made the four changes. Was it was it at Yover where you made the four subs? I can't remember because of the over game. You know, and you've got players now that can they may not necessarily start, but they can finish you a game and they can take you over the line. And I think that's a really, really strong sort of trait to have in the squad. so yeah, fingers crossed promise and Caldwell's injuries aren't anything sort of too serious. They've, you know, maybe come off as More of a precaution than anything else. I guess we'll find out in the next sort of days to come. Yeah, it doesn't and I think resting for the FA Cup game isn't gonna be the end of the world. No, that's why I I don't see as I'm hoping I don't see as slip up on a a game against like like Berkham's yeah. Yeah. No, absolutely. So you don't can't say never because we've done it a few times. Yeah, we've seen it, we've been there done. But it it won't be the end of the world either. It won't be if if we do slip up because the FA Cup isn't necessarily No No, also it's a it's a tie that it's a it's a cup that we'd like we haven't really done progressed in it too far over recent seasons, have we? And maybe you know, like you say, our our our target necessarily isn't winning the FA Cup, you know, at all but Don't get me wrong, it'd be great to get to that third round and get a big team, isn't You everyone dreams of at this level, you know. But yeah, like you said. Well it won't be hard, will it? Their defence is just as leaky as ours. But yeah, no, y you never know, do you? You never know. But yeah, like you say, I think we've got enough in our camp to to get a result. I'm I'm I'm actually really looking forward to it. I was you know, it was Nice to hear like you say that saying that the player of they want to play football the right way and stuff, so I'm sure it'll be an entertaining you know, entertaining game and they'll bring a f fair few fans down with them. It sounds like a few fans are coming as well, which would be good. Yeah, which like I say, you'll Yeah, I know. But you know, it it makes difference, doesn't it? You it'll be I'm sure they'll be singing all the way through, it'll be a great day for them. So yeah, really, really looking forward to it. so obviously we gave our our predictions and we have been in touch with Phil and he's given us our p his prediction. He's actually just predicted a south and two one win. So again another you know Berkhamstead goal there. So we'll see. We'll get Katie's prediction as well. but for those of you that aren't aware, I'm currently sitting top of the prediction league. It's becoming results. But yeah, although yeah, last week sort of put put pay to that, but I was going for a hat trick of appearances results there but hey it wasn't to be. But yeah, so I mean that's pretty much it for us. It's you know, a bit of a shorter episode this this week. but we'll be back next week. Obviously we'll go over the the Berkham said result, hopefully dissecting a you know a positive win and looking forward to the the first round proper draw. so yeah, we'll be back next Monday with all the reaction from Boston. We'll also have Luke Walsh will be joining us. Most of you that are listening may be aware of Luke Walsh. He hul hosts the Luke Walsh podcast. He's a big Halifax fan, so we'll have him on ahead of our home game to them to get his opinion and thoughts. and that's all for us today. Just left to say is a thanks to our sponsor, Surgical Holdings, yourself, Chris. to our guest as well to our listeners and don't forget to comment subscribe and like up the shrimpers up the shrimpers