Midfielder Regan Slater has started every game since manager Steven Pressley arrived at Brunton Park and the young Sheffield United loanee confirmed this week that he's enjoying life in Cumbria.
We sat down with him on Thursday morning to get his thoughts on his current form and the remaining eight games of the season.
“I feel like I’ve been playing quite well since the new manager came in,” he said. "He’s shown a lot of faith in me, and he’s taken a bit of a chance in terms of having myself and Cal [O’Hare] in the middle of the pitch, with us both being young lads, but I think it’s paying off at the minute.
“With the way we’re playing at the moment you have to have legs and get about when you’re in that midfield three, but I’ve got loads of energy and I’m really enjoying the way we’re playing and I feel like I'm coping with what the gaffer is asking of me."
“I think I need to improve my game going forward in terms of creating chances and scoring goals, that’s definitely something I’m working on," he admitted. "The shape we’re playing at the moment is benefitting that, because there’s opportunities for me to get into the box.
"I’ve probably had more shots this season than I’ve had in the last three seasons, and I’m just really enjoying it. I scored a couple of goals against Swindon earlier in the season but I do want to add a few more. I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully it’ll come.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far, the lads are all great and I feel a big part of the group. The lads are really good and that makes it easy as well as enjoyable, it’s just nice to be a part of it."
On the praise he's received from the first team manager following recent performances, he told us: “The gaffer has said some nice things about me after games and things like that, which is always nice to hear.
"Everyone likes to be told they’re doing well or even just a simple well done, but he’s also criticised me when I’ve needed it. It’s a good mix and I really am enjoying it.
“With it being a full-season loan it’s really given me time to get used to the club and how we play and things like that. A few things have happened during the season that have been new to me, in terms of a change of manager and stuff, so I feel like I’ve learned a lot so far.
“I feel like I’ve grown up a lot as well, not just on the pitch as a footballer, but also as a person. I’ve been staying up here all week away from my family so I’ve definitely had to grow up and just get on with it."
“The contrasts in games is something you have to get used to in men’s football as well," he continued. "You can blame the weather or whatever you want after the Notts County game, but they dealt with it better than us.
"Then we go to Forest Green and show that we can be a really good side and we know we just have to keep putting those sorts of performances in.
“The Notts County performance hurt the lads because we know we’re better than that, and we know that with the position we’re in we can’t afford to be dropping points like that. We got a good point at the weekend, although we felt it should have been three, and it gives us something to build on going into Saturday’s game.
“In terms of chances created, the Forest Green game was the most we’d created in a long time. We could have been a long way ahead going into half time.
"That happens, we got a point in the end and we’re all just focused on Saturday now. We’ll keep believing we can get into those play-offs, we’ve got a good group and we’re all confident we can do it.”
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