Scammell - I'm itching for some football

Sportsdesk • Published 13 Jan 2010 11:00 0 Comments

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ASCOT United boss Stuart Scammell is itching to get back to action on Saturday after enjoying three weeks away from the game.

While the arctic conditions have been wreaking havoc on the Hellenic League fixture list, the United boss has been enjoying a winter break in Dubai.

But while the soaring temperatures in the Arab state have been a far cry from the current cold snap. Scammell admits the time away has not allowed him to erase the memories of his last game in charge.

On December 12th an Ascot side containing four reserve team players were denied a point from their 230-mile round trip to Pegasus Juniors as a controversial late goal gave the hosts a 2-1 win.

And Scammell needs a game on Saturday to help him to get over it.

He said: "I've got a hell of a football itch. I haven't had a game since December

12th and after such a gutting defeat in deepest Hereford, that is too far for me.

"I'm just praying we get a game on Saturday, but you just never know.

"I'm absolutely terrible. I have only missed one game in about five years, so I was a bit apprehensive about going away. But with the weather I only missed one game, and how they got that one on I'll never know."

United's January 2nd clash at home to runaway leaders Reading was the only game in all three divisions of the Hellenic League to beat the weather this year.

Scammell was full of praise for the club's ground staff in getting the game on and says his side played well, despite ultimately going down 3-0.

He said: "I think that's credit to the hard work that a lot of people have been putting in over the last year on the pitch. You reap what you sow as they say.

"I think we'll find when the snow clears we'll have one of the best pitches in the league under there.

"All the reports I've heard about our performance that day have been very positive. They are the team to beat in this league, so losing to them is not disgrace and I'm told we competed well throughout."

Despite getting off to a slow start in their first season at step five of the non-league pyramid, United showed marked improvement in the tail end of 2009.

And Scammell hopes to see his side build on that in the new year. He said: "We set a target within the squad at the beginning of the season and I am still keeping to that, even it is looking a bit stretched after a poor start.

"I would like that think that in about eight to 10 weeks we will be in a much healthier situation.

"If you look back at the history of this team, we have had one big run every season. It has never come at the same stage of the season, but it always comes.

"Everything about the way we were playing before Christmas indicates we are about to do that again.

"I'm hoping that I won't be looking over my shoulder at the end of the season and worrying what is going on behind us.

"The plus from our point of view is that at the moment, having played more games than anyone else, we are not starring down the barrel of having two and three games a week, which some clubs are."

Saturday's trip to third-placed Wantage Town is already in serious doubt, but Scammell says he saw nothing in the Oxfordshire side's 1-0 win at the Racecourse Ground in September that suggests his side have anything to fear.

He said: "We saw Wantage at the Racecourse earlier this season and they beat us 1-0, but to be honest it was an open game and I didn't think there was much between the two sides.

"Judging by their results they have come on leaps and bounds since then and may have a completely new team as far as we know. But we have improved a lot since then too, so if they get a game on, we'll be going there to win.

"We always prepare as if the game is on until the call comes through to tell us it is definitely off.

"I'm thankful that we have got a good group of guys, who I'm sure will have been staying fit. They are all gym users so have no concerns about their fitness."

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