PORT City Leagues Magpies captain Gordon Scott says his side will have no excuses if they don’t perform this weekend.
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Magpies host an ever-improving Rovers at Oxley Oval keen to avenge their last-round loss to Wingham.
Scott will have a full-strength squad at his disposal which sees the handy additions of Blake Larance and Jason Herdegen from the side that went down last weekend.
He is wary of the damage Rovers captain Danny Powick can do with the willow – he’s scored 178 runs in his last two innings.
“Danny is in some pretty good form at the moment,” Scott said.
“He’s the sort of guy who can be pretty to watch, just not if you’re on the other side; he scored a tonne a few weeks ago and was in the runs again last week.”
Rovers started the season slowly, but have won their last three matches in a row.
“They have a few youngsters who played for the Stingers and have a really talented 15-year-old who normally bats in the top three,” Scott said.
Danny is the sort of guy who can be pretty to watch, just not if you’re on the other side.
- Gordon Scott
“We know they will be a lot better than the side we played earlier in the season.”
For Magpies to return to the winner’s list, the skipper is looking for more of a team effort which should help batsmen like Jesse Schmidt.
“There will be one or two changes in our batting lineup where hopefully the middle order can hang around with Jesse for a bit,” Scott said.
“Blake Larance will open the batting which means Jake Hawkins slots into the middle order where he can hopefully score some runs.”
Tim Harris played his first game for the season last weekend and Scott expects him to be better for the run.
“He’ll be really handy for us,” he said.
Scott admitted the loss last week had contributed to a better preparation for the match this weekend.
“Last week’s loss hit hard for a few of the boys and they’re pretty keen to get back into it,” he said.
It’s a head down, bum up attitude this week.
- Gordon Scott
“It’s a head down, bum up attitude this week; we’ve had strong numbers at training where the blokes that don’t normally turn up have been ripping in.
“There are definitely no excuses this weekend.”
Meanwhile, Port Pirates will search for their elusive first Premier League win when they take on the highly-fancied Taree United at Wayne Richards Park.
Captain Ben Woodward will have to do without the services of Mick Foster with the ball, although Jamie Carroll and Isaac Trow both return.
“Jamie is a key in for us and he will come in at four,” Woodward said.
In Foster’s absence, the Pirates captain was looking for Isaac Trow to lead the bowling cartel.
“Fozzie has been our best bowler all season, so it just gives an opportunity for some of the others,” he said.
