Defender vows to repay Tim Flowers

Stafford Rangers defender Jermaine Johnson has vowed to repay manager Tim Flowers for his recall by continuing to improve on the field.

New Year's Day at AFC Telford brought a new start for Johnson as he was restored to the starting line-up for a Blue Square North game for the first time since the start of October, keeping his place for yesterday's home defeat to second-placed Alfreton.

The 20-year-old has had to work hard to get back into the team after sitting out five games through suspension after Flowers was appointed manager, while getting back to full fitness from a long-running hamstring injury.

But Johnson is now fully back in favour and has hailed the Rangers boss for giving him a fair chance.

He said: "It's nice to keep the shirt, the gaffer has put his trust in me and I can't complain. He keeps to his word and, if he says he's going to do something, he will do it.

"With a couple of more games I should be back at 100 per cent but, since I have come back in, I think I have done well."

Rangers took a point on New Year's Day after a goalless draw but went down 1-0 to Liam Hearn's second-half goal yesterday, although Ben Mills a great chance to level late on.

A lack of potency in front of goal has been giving Flowers a major headache with Mills, Chris Sterling and new signing Danny Campbell struggling to find form, while Nick Wellecomme has left for Hednesford.

However, Johnson is backing his team-mates to start firing again.

He said: "On the whole, I think we are defending better as a team and we are certainly making less silly mistakes.

"We have been a bit unlucky in terms of putting the ball in the net, but we have got faith in our strikers.

"They will come good and get us a good few goals."