THE SHAMIR ALAM INTERVIEW, FOLLOWING GNP SPORTS' WIN AT CT SHUSH...

Three more points and a rotated squad. Did you learn anything new about those who featured yesterday?

"I don’t think anything new was learned; we have a strong squad and a good mix of young lads and experience and we brought four lads straight into the team that haven’t been playing as much. So it was good to get another win and tick another team off the list. That’s 11 wins in a row now, bypassing Burbage's previous record of 10 straight wins." 

The finishing was obviously not very accurate yesterday, so how frustrated were you feeling, especially at 1-0 when your goalie made a fine save?

"Players can’t let their standards drop like that again and it wasn’t just the finishing that was frustrating, it was the lack of movement and options for the players on the ball and the ball distribution itself wasn’t where it needed to be, but after half-time that changed, so it’s gone now and onto Monday..." 

How much did the pitch affect some of the play?

"I don’t know really; if you give the ball away or get tackled/intercepted it’s because you held onto it too long, not because the pitch was a bit bobbly. However at this stage of the season, all that matters is the points and we left with all 3." 

Any kind words for the CT central defenders, who were overworked but performed ably? And the Shush goalie?

"I thought they defended for their lives and as a defensive unit didn’t give up and certainly kept the score down. They have good set-up and I wish them all the best for the rest of the season and next. They were one of the teams during pre-season that had some fantastic results v teams from higher up, so hopefully they can re-group and go again." 

Can you assess the current situation with the league title after yesterday’s results? 

"I’m not great at maths but I believe FC Stratford, Ajax, Boldmere, Alcester and us can still win the league from the basis of maximum points that we can all achieve, so nothing has changed. We still need to keep winning and that’s all I’m focused on." 

There was quite a controversy about goal one. Were the players finally appeased? 

"I think the boys had good fun with that over the past 24 hours and clearly Jin is our Harry Kane..."

On to FC Stratford tomorrow at the athletics track; how do you see the game panning out?

"The game needs no introduction really does it? We face a dangerous FC side who have to win, after their loss to Boldmere and a postponed game v Alcester last week. With our leading goalscorer Leigh Phillips unavailable, Jason Evans only able to play the second-half and young Scotty Hammond not there this week, we lose a lot of our attacking pace but what we lack in pace we will replace with strength and power and I won’t be making excuses come the end of the game, so we will be ready! 

Yours in football..."

Shamir Alam, manager, GNP Sports...