WHILE happy to pick up three more points in their Blue Square Premier campaign, City manager Nick Holmes knows his side are capable of playing much better than they did in last night's 1-0 defeat of strugglers Stafford Rangers.

Marvin Brown's first half strike was all that separated the two sides, although Whites were always in control.

"It was a difficult game," said the Salisbury manager.

"They came and set the tone within the first ten minutes. They committed eight or nine fouls and that was how the game carried on.

"They were very committed to getting a point and they made it very difficult."

With such a slender lead Holmes admitted the threat of a Stafford equaliser that they would hardly have deserved was a worry.

"You were always scared because you couldn't get the second goal that they might nick one but they didn't really threaten to score - certainly in the second half."

Holmes gave his players the weekend off following their Thursday night win at Forest Green Rovers but believes the down time reward may have backfired.

"We can play better. We had a few off the pace tonight.

"The routine was mucked up, playing on a Thursday and then a Tuesday.

"We were nice to them and gave them the weekend off but maybe we'll have to be bit nastier to them in future and get them in!

"We weren't at it. Not that they were on the pace but, compared to how we train usually, you could see we weren't as zippy in our movement.

"Normally on an evening game the pitch gets a bit of dew on it and it helps zip the ball across the surface but tonight the pitch was dry and it slowed things up, which I know we're not so good at.

"Marvin's was a great strike. At the end of the day, we were always likely to score goals but we just felt we could have won it better."

Whites face a similar side to Stafford on Saturday when Northwich Victoria visit the Ray Mac.

Like Rangers, the Vics, who this week parted company with manager Neil Redfearn, have also picked up just one point so far this season "They're desperate and they've got a new manager. Sometimes it's easier for a side that have not been winning games to try and really go for it and get that win away from home.

"They are always tough games and people should never take anything for granted."

Holmes knows he has another selection headache with players such as Matt Tubbs coming off the bench against Stafford to press their claim for a starting berth.

Marvin Brown's third goal in three games justified the striker keeping his place ahead of last season's top goalscorer.

"Tubbsy came on and gave us 20 very good minutes," said Holmes.

"At the end of the day, whoever starts, the other's going to get on.

"At the moment they're both doing enough to deserve to start but Robbie's (Matthews) been very consistent all season as well.

"It gives me a headache and it's really unfortunate for the one who gets left out but I'm not going 4-3-3 just yet!"

Whites now have 18 points from their opening ten games and sit just one position off the play-off places.

"At the end of the day, it's three points," said the Whites boss.

"Sometimes you have to win ugly but I've seen us win worse than that."

Just over 1,300 watched the game and although it was the club's lowest home league crowd of the season, Holmes said he had no complaints - especially with their match going head-to-head with Champions League football live on TV.

"I'm really pleased with the crowd.

"Fortunately it was a dry evening and the Champions League hasn't got underway too much yet but I know that some Tuesday evenings after September we're not going to get so many."

2:57pm Wednesday 19th September 2007

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