Waterfall out to dampen Forest Green Rovers Trophy hopes

The Gainsborough defender sang the praises of his central defensive partner Danny Hone and goalkeeper Jan Budtz, as they look to contain a Forest Green Rovers side flying high in the Conference Premier.

Steve Housham’s Blues are in cracking form themselves, having won five and drawn once in their last six outings, conceding just four goals.

And 22-year-old Waterfall is satisfied with his own contribution to the club’s unbeaten run ahead of the Trophy tie.

“I don’t think I’m doing too badly,” he said. “Myself and Danny have probably played the last 12 to 15 games together and we’ve done well.”

“I lost a good defensive partner in Andrew Boyce in the summer, but Danny has come in and done well, and we seem to have a good understanding.”

The relationship between the centre-halves and the man behind them also seems to be a healthy one.

Waterfall agrees: “Jan is a great keeper, he’s a big lad and he’s brilliant to play in front of. He comes for crosses, he comes and punches, gets his body in the way of things – he had a worldie on Saturday and kept us in it.”

Having delighted the travelling Gainsborough support last Saturday, with a 1-0 win at Altrincham, Waterfall hopes a good number will make the long trip from Lincolnshire to Gloucestershire.

“I’m sure a few of our loyal supporters will make the trip, like they always do for these long treks.”

Although the former Tranmere Rovers defender concedes Trinity will be underdogs at The New Lawn on Saturday, he expects the Blues to remain undaunted as they look to get into the last 16 of the competition.

“It’s going to be up there with the biggest games I’ve played in for Trinity,” he said.

“But I don’t think being underdogs will affect us much – It will suit us being underdogs, there’s no pressure on uS.”

Manager Housham is of the same opinion. He told the Standard: “Being underdogs takes away a lot of the pressure we’ve been coming under, to get three points in recent matches.

“We’ll go there in a confident mood, to express ourselves and prove that we can hold our own against sides from the Conference Premier – we were only 90 minutes from playing in that league this season.”

A victory on Saturday, or in a replay should the scores remain level this weekend, will net Trinity £6,000 in prize money, and Housham would love to bag that cash for club chairman Peter Swann.

The Blues boss said: “The chairman looked after us all on Saturday at his venue in Blackpool and it would be a nice way to repay him to win at Forest Green Rovers.”

“But added to that, we’ll be in the last 16 of a very important national competition.”

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