Boss on trip to Preston...
THIS weekend we head for Preston North End. We won there last season, but we also remember the home defeat that we suffered at their hands earlier this season.I watched them in action on Tuesday and there is no doubt that they have some good players and a strong squad, who are difficult to beat.
They are certainly good enough to challenge for the automatic promotion places, so it will be a tough test for us.
Things can change quickly in football and we have to keep adding to our points tally and see where it takes us. There is no doubt that March is a big month for us and we'll have more of an idea of where we are at the end of it.
This is a big week for us with three really good games to look forward to. How many points we come out of it with will be determined by the performances that we put in.
We have to take things one game at a time, starting with Preston and we go there in a positive frame of mind. We don't fear them but we respect them for what they have done this season.
I will be looking for us to reach the standards that I know we are capable of to give us the best possible chance of achieving a winning result.
Andy Taylor returned to training at the start of this week. He had an injection on Tuesday and is a possibility for a return to action. He will be assessed in the build-up to the game to see whether he is ready to return.
It's taken a bit longer than we first expected, but he is determined to get back involved.
Dean Holden remains sidelined with a knee injury that he suffered in training a few weeks ago.
DEAN SMITH