Jewson/Hellenic Boss Greening confident Shire will bounce back from Boco battering

IAM Greening is confident the worst is behind him and his shellshocked Shirehampton as they strive to restore order to a campaign that plummeted to new depths on Saturday.

- Simon PARKINSON [e-mail]

Nailsea & Tickenham (purple) - seen here playing against Shepton Mallet on the opening day of the season - resigned this week from the Jewson League Premier Division, following challenging times on and off the field

(Picture: Stoner_AS FootyReview)

So demoralised did he feel at watching his team crash to a “disgraceful” 9-1 defeat at the home and hands of AEK Boco that the Shire supremo, well into his fifth season at the Penpole Lane helm following a successful five years assisting manager Andy Gurney at Roman Glass St George, approached chairman Pete McCall about the prospect of quitting.

Instead, it’s been business as usual as Greening continues unabated and hopeful of turning around his 16th-placed team's flagging fortunes in Jewson Division One competition, starting with tomorrow’s trip to take on a 14thspot Odd Down outfit they'll leapfrog on the ladder with a victory.

The Shirehampton boss, who watched his team exit the GFA Challenge Trophy at the first hurdle on Tuesday night in 2-1 away defeat by Oldland Abbotonians, believes there are good reasons for his side’s struggles so far, although they do have 14 points on the board from the three wins and five draws that have kept the two place drop zone firmly at arm’s length.

“Tt all started so promisingly, a really positive summer containing good signings we felt would stand us in good stead for the season ahead,” Greening said.

“Instead, we've been decimated by injuries, for the third year running too. You work hard all summer ducking and diving to try and add quality to your ranks, and instead you get hit like that.

“With our modest resources, and that's far from an excuse, you only have to lose three or four key players and it can throw you completely. And it has done.

“T can’t fault our lads’ commitment at all; it’s just been rank bad luck, all the injuries.