Ashley's anxious wait
By Matt McGeehan

Wednesday 31st January 2007

ASHLEY Vickers is set to miss the Nationwide Conference match with Burton Albion on Saturday as a result of his sending off in the draw with Northwich Victoria.

The Terras are yet to make a decision over whether to appeal as they are yet to receive a copy of the match video, but player-manager Jason Tindall expects to be without the 34-year-old defender.

“For the minute it is looking like Ashley’s going to be doubtful for Saturday,” said Tindall.

Vickers said he would be disappointed to miss the match. “If we don’t appeal obviously I miss the game,” he said. “It’s a big game Burton, they have got a very potent strike force with Daryl Clare. It is a game I want to play in.”

Vickers suggested the financial constraints surrounding the club could mean an appeal is out of the question. “It costs money to appeal, the FA take a few quid just to look at it. Money is obviously tight at the moment so we will see.”

But Tindall denied that money would be a stumbling block. He added: “If we feel we have got good grounds for appeal then we will appeal, even if I pay for it myself.”

Vickers was given a yellow card in the first half of the 1-1 draw with Northwich, before seeing red eight minutes from time for a tackle on goalscorer Jonny Allan, who broke his leg in the challenge.

“We have both just gone for the ball and if I am totally honest I probably held back a little bit because I was on a yellow card,” said Vickers.

“The referee had already given a free-kick our way. Obviously, their coach was going spare – it was dreadful what happened to the lad with his leg – and then the linesman came on and said it was a foul the other way and it was a yellow card.

“I didn’t accept it quite as well as I could have done.”

Vickers knows Allan well having played against him on numerous occasions and no malice was intended in the tackle.

Once he realised the extent of the injury, he went over to assist. And three minutes later, when the melee died down, he was given his marching orders.

“I went to see the linesman and the referee at the end and apologised to the linesman for going off at him afterwards and the referee said ‘Ash, perhaps I got it wrong’,” said Vickers.

“I think the fact that they saw Jonny’s leg was shocking for everyone and that has perhaps changed his mind.

“Referees have a difficult enough job but sometimes they don’t help themselves. The obvious decisions are there to be made and there are contentious ones that are difficult. But if you have seen that it is obvious, then give it.”

One seemingly obvious decision was the challenge on Chukki Eribenne after 13 minutes which could have changed the game. Eribenne had to withdraw from the field and his challenger could have seen red for a professional foul.

“After the game Chukki literally had a bump the size of an egg on his head, it was horrific,” said Vickers. “How that can’t be a foul, I don’t know how the referee didn’t give that.”

Vickers was captain last Saturday and was delighted to be given the armband.

He said: “Jason just said to me before the game on Friday ‘you are skipper tomorrow’ and I was really proud to do it. If he wants me to carry on I would love to. It gives me a lot of pride to do that so it is entirely up to him.”

Tindall said Trevor Challis, Tony James and Vickers are all capable of fulfilling the captain’s role. He added: “I’d like to have 11 captains, not just one. An armband is just an armband.”

• Former Weymouth manager Garry Hill has had a change of heart and will not be taking up the director of football position at Grays Athletic.