Greenwich Borough joint-manager Steve Sallis: I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could stay up but I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be tight, isn’t it?

GREENWICH BOROUGH joint-manager Steve Sallis says he has the belief that his side can pull off the great escape and retain their Bostik League status.

Sallis and Steve O’Boyle have been in charge of the club for 12 games and they have picked up three wins and three draws during that time.

Greenwich Borough gate crashed Cray Wanderers title-winning party at Hayes Lane yesterday, coming away with a 1-1 draw, which denied Tony Russell’s men the three points that would have sealed the Bostik South East Division league title.

Winger Teshaune-Tyreece Walters scored his 15^th goal of the season to give Greenwich Borough a sixth minute lead from the spot and they lost central midfielder Rhys Paul to a second yellow card with 73 minutes on the clock and Cray Wanderers equalised through Karl Dent’s strike.

Greenwich Borough goalkeeper Oliver Webber, 18, who is on loan from Premier League side Crystal Palace and has signed a professional contract, was outstanding and denied Russell’s men the title with a brilliant penalty save to deny Tom Phipp with three minutes to go.

Next Sunday, Greenwich Borough fly over to Guernsey in a vital must-win relegation dog-fight.

The two sides are locked on 28 points with Greenwich bottom of the table, while Guernsey do have a game in hand.

Guernsey then play at Phoenix Sports (20 April); host Horsham (22 April) and end their campaign with a trip to Sittingbourne.

Greenwich Borough complete their league campaign with home games against Whyteleafe (20 April) and Hastings United seven days later.

Sallis said:  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could stay up but I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be tight, isn’t it?

“I can’t say we will stay up, we won’t stay up. If we perform like we did yesterday, we’ll stay up. 

“We say this to the lads every week, if we play well, we’ll win and if we don’t, we’ll lose. It’s quite straight forward!

“I said to Tony Russell before the game sometimes we don’t know what we’re going to get from the team but I think the work we did in training last week was significant because we worked with a plan and it worked for us from that point of view.”

Sallis got his game plan spot on against Cray Wanderers yesterday and he calls for calm from his players in their basement battle next weekend.

“It’s really important. I say that about intelligence all the time.  Most non-league managers I played under used to shout at you and tell you to run around a lot. We have to play with a game plan,” said Sallis.

“It’s been evident since we took over with results. Yes they’re Cup Finals but we have to be measured and intelligent. Never too high, never too low!”

Guernsey  v  Greenwich Borough
Bostik South East Division
Sunday 14 April 2019
Kick Off 1:00pm
at Footes Lane Stadium, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2UL