If a bad week points to something more serious, if Welton S&SC are on the brink of collapse, there was not a huge amount of evidence here in Grimsby on Tuesday as Al Taylor’s side prepare for Sunday’s daunting task of trying to beat Seven Seas in their own back yard.
Beaten twice and having not scored in consecutive games for the first time in 5 seasons Welton have appeared chastened and vulnerable in the past six days.
But in Tuesdays press conference with Neil Stocks there was no great sense of crisis.
While facing the inevitable questions about the last two games, he managed to maintain an aura of calm that suggested Taylor and his players remain positive about meeting Seven Seas this weekend despite the County Cup Holders being the overwhelming favorites.
It was an impressive display infront of the cameras by the midfielder.
'I believe in my team mates,' he said. 'I believe in our work ethic and honesty.' Any hint of irony was well hidden, as were any concerns he might have in the wake of those back-to-back defeats.
Stocks dismissed the idea that Welton's time is almost up; that they have been sussed out; that, like all the great teams, they can only remain at the top for so long.
'In this county people talk very easily about a change of cycle,' he said.
'But things don't just change after one defeat. A team that has been to more Cup Finals, won more games and scored more goals than anyone else in the last 4 years deserves more credit than that.'
“What’s done is done now we have to look ahead to the biggest game of all against the best team around.”
'They are hard to play against because they are really strong, really competitive and they have world class players in every position.”
“We will without doubt have to raise our performance levels from the first half on Sunday because if we start like we did at Sincil Bank here in Grimsby we will be five down by half time.”
“We are not happy about losing the Ron Eaglen Cup final a runners up medal in that competition means nothing, getting to that final and the Kelly Read final is not an achievment you have to win those competitions for it to mean anything to anyone.”
“getting to this stage of this competition is something we can be proud of though as there are some exceptional teams in the County Cup and we should take that attitude onto the pitch on Sunday and enjoy the game.”