McNiven must fight for place - Bully
Stafford manager Steve Bull has warned David McNiven his first-team shirt will have to be earned as the battle for the striking berths hots up at Marston Road.
Stafford manager Steve Bull has warned David McNiven his first-team shirt will have to be earned as the battle for the striking berths hots up at Marston Road.
McNiven found himself relegated to the bench on Saturday at Kings Lynn, as new boys Louis Briscoe and Mark Magee were preferred in attack.
An impressive first-half saw the new boys tire in the second-half and McNiven was introduced with nine minutes to go, with the team trailing 2-1 and looking at a Walks Stadium defeat for the second week in succession.
Still smarting from being dropped, McNiven was a man posessed as he steamed forward and, after his pace was too much for Ben Chapman who lunged wildly, the sub dusted himself down and scored the penalty that gave Rangers a point.
The players return to training tonight at Marston Road to try to work out where two silly goals were conceded but, as it stands, McNiven is the hero ahead of the visit of Vauxhall Motors on Saturday.
His response was welcomed by the manager.
Bully said: "David did what he had to do - answer me in the right way. He was great on Saturday. He needs to do that week in and week out. Players who come off the bench need to do the best they can and if they don't do that, no wonder they are not in the side.
"I felt that the two fresh faces would invigorate the side and, to be fair they had that, in the first-half especially. They did tire in the second half, but that is to be expected. Both have hardly played recently.
"David has responded in the right way and I Iook forward to all three of them jostling to put themselves in my thoughts for Saturday."
Saturday's match against Vauxhall is the first match played on home turf since the 2-1 disappointment against Fleetwood on November 15.
Fans will demand a better show this weekend and, with Briscoe and Magee's home debut a possibility, it could be all change at Marston Road.
Briscoe's legend certainly precedes him, so calls are rising for him to be unleashed against the strugglers.
Bully accepts that, but warns that he must earn his spot, just like everybody else.
The boss added: "It is tempting to start Louis on Saturday but his space will depend on how he performs in training this week, with two good strikers on his back in Mark and David.
"No one takes their place for granted here."
