'Keeper Zac Walker loving life at Worksop Town

Tigers keeper Zac Walker. Pic by Lewis Pickersgill.

The understudy to David Reay, last week, had a busy few days, playing his part for the first team in the Sheffield Senior Cup against Penistone Church, before returning to Under-21s duties against Retford FC the night after.

“Kyle [Jordan] has been class,” said Walker. “They [the squad] have all been brilliant since I came in at the start of the season.

“It is always hard when you have Dave in front of you with what he did last year, and this year he has played superbly.

“It is hard when you’re travelling around knowing you’re not playing, but I’ll always be ready for when I am called upon, so it is good experience and I’m definitely enjoying it – I have noticed a difference in confidence from myself. Last year I was out with injury for quite a while, from around Christmas to towards the end of the season. I got a call from Ryan [Hall] about coming in and playing for the Under-21s.”

Walker was speaking after the Under-21s were pegged back late through a 92nd-minute own goal as Retford FC snatched a point.

Walker stated: “We weren’t brilliant. The second half we came out well but the last ten we switched off. It happened to us a couple of times with balls coming over. We were unlucky at the end, again we switched off. The ball came in and he’s flicked it on and it’s gone in off Morts [Jack Morton].

“We weren’t the best we have been, not at all, we haven’t got out of second gear, but apart from that we were alright with getting the ball down and to be fair, we were the better side.”

The night before, Walker made some excellent stops to deny Penistone Church at important times when Worksop relied on him to step up as they got back into the game. He also made a penalty save in the shoot-out.

“I was good experience,” said Walker.

“The first 20 minutes we were poor, I don’t think we expected them to come out flying like they did and it has cost us. We have done well to get back into it, especially with the conditions, and obviously they had the luck of the draw with penalties."