CHARLES D’SOUZA
MARGAO
Churchill Bros will need to play out of their skin when they take on an upbeat Shillong Lajong FC in the I-League return clash at Tilak Maidan, Vasco, on Friday. Having secured their first victory in the league, Churchill Bros coach Alfred Fernandes is a happy man.
Already looking ahead to stretching their two-game unbeaten run, Alfred put final touches to his plans ahead of the tricky match against the Shillong side, during their training on Wednesday.
Being a stickler for minute details, he kept interupting the practice session at Tilak Maidan each time he spotted a flaw in their build-ups, cautioned the erring players and made them rerun the move. Fernandes is hoping that the win against Gokulam Kerala away, will provide the impetus for his young guns to flourish in the remainder of the season.
“We are a settled team now and have some quality foreigners as well. The North-East boys are tough and excel in short passing bouts.We will have to stay alert and nip their build-ups in the bud. And for us, with the new signing of Hussein Eldor (Lebanon), Cisse Gwada (Gambia) and Kyrgyzstan’s Bektur, will bolster the team. I believe we are a balanced side and have a good blend of youth and expereience. The team is gelling well and I believe the boys are ready for the battle”, said Fernandes.
Fernandes said his side will treat Shillong Lagong FC with respect. “We are desperate to win against the Shillong side. Our preparations against this side would be different now,” Fernandes said. It will be crucial how the Churchill Bros rearguard maintain their shape and how effective Nicholas Fernandes, Bektur emerge. Shillong Lagong occupy the fifth spot with 14 points from 10 matches in the I-League while Churchill are up one place to ninth, having secured 4 points from 7 matches.
