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Next Match Preview
Preview: After last week's frustratingly flat performance in the defeat to Workington our players should be anything but complacent as we try to take our first home points of the season at the sixth time of asking. Saturday's visitors are Blyth Spartans, making the long trip from Northumberland. Blyth are a difficult side to predict at the moment, their form has been inconsistent and landed them firmly in mid-table, their solitary win on the road coming with an impressive 3-0 dispatching of Hyde. The side itself is also under something of a revamp, the squad that won promotion and reached the 3rd Round of last season's FA Cup gradually being overhauled by new boss Mick Tait - a former Hartlepool manager starting his second spell at Blyth. They have a new keeper in Craig Turns and forward in Paul Brayson, but will miss key midfielder Chris McCabe through suspension after his sending off in a pre-season friendly against Berwick. The man to watch will be in-form striker Robbie Dale who was last season's top scorer and found the net last time out against Solihull. Boris' team selection will be interesting as City have yet to arrive on a winning formula and the manager admitted his tactics against Workington hadn't worked out. However he must also be worried about the tempo of that performance - so both tactics and individual starting places are up for grabs with the manager threatening wholesale changes. Forward Will Morford may well start, with Matt Rose and Tom Hamblin both having claims for a recall. Boris seems reluctant to lose Lee Smith's pace from the defence pending the likely arrival of right-back Neil Arndale from Mangotsfield, but may yet revert to a 3-5-2 shape to allow him greater freedom to get forward down the right. Newly appointed player-coach Neil Mustoe is likely only make the bench after his hamstring problem, whilst Sam Ellis is scheduled to return to University in Sheffield so in unlikely to be in the squad. Noakes, Robinson and Sysum will all play for Cinderford this weekend to get some match fitness. click on player's name for pen picture, statistics and further career details
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