We caught up with goalkeeper Jack Bonham shortly after full time at Halifax on Saturday to talk about his first full 90 minutes and an important clean sheet.
“I’m delighted to get the first 90 minutes under my belt,” he told us. “We got a clean sheet out of the game as well, which is obviously pleasing.
“I think all the boys will agree that it’s been a brutal week for us. We’ve really put some work in so we’re really pleased that we managed to dig it out in the last ten minutes or so.
“As a team the first thing we want from a game is a win but you obviously want to keep the ball out of the net. It was nice to make a couple of saves and play a part in the clean sheet today."
If you can get that mentality where everyone is trying to keep the ball out of the net and you’re trying to win games then it goes a long way ...
“Clean sheets are massive leading into the season," he said. "If you can get that mentality where everyone is trying to keep the ball out of the net and you’re trying to win games then it goes a long way.
“I think the lads are excited for the season to start now. We’ve got Blackburn on Friday which will be a good test going in to the season. We’ve got the chance to show what we’re about and put our stamp on the game and prepare for Swindon.
“I feel like there’s more to come from me and hopefully the fans will see that on Friday and as we go into the season. I’m happy to keep the clean sheet today and play the part I did in the game."
“There is real confidence within the group now," he admitted. "I said as soon as I came in that the lads are really good in the dressing room before and after the games.
"That gives you great confidence because you know they’ve got belief in you. The team spirit is unbelievable and it will be great to take that into the season."
Looking back at last week's training camp, he said: “The week we’ve just had has been brutal.
"We had Cassius Camps on Monday then some tough training at Mottram Hall. The assault course at Cassius is still a bit of a blur - I’m not really sure what I did during it because it was so hard. It was a great feeling of achievement to get through it ,as well as the abseil in the afternoon.
“We all got pushed to the limits so fitness levels and things like that are going to increase, which can only stand us in good stead as we go into the season. I’m probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in so I’m really looking forward to the start of the season.
"The manager has worked us hard as a group and Trace [Simon Tracey] has been working me hard while the rest of the lads have been doing their running and things like that. We’ve been doing a lot of specific keeper stuff and if it can make us fitter and stronger in the last five or ten games of the season it’s great for us.
“Swindon is obviously the first game of the season but I think you’ve got to take things game by game. Blackburn comes next and we’ve got certain things we need to focus on and work on during that game, so that’s what I’m thinking about.”
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