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Tudors a striker short of being promotion contenders
Hemel Hempstead Town are a striker short of being genuine promotion contenders, according to their chairman Dave Boggins.
He was speaking after he watched his side go down 1-0 at home to a Crystal Palace XI, and although he was impressed with what he saw, he believes they are lacking the necessary firepower to go as far as he would like in the British Gas Southern League Premier Division.
"My personal opinion is that we still lack something up front," he said. "Defensively and everywhere else we are looking ok but up front we are not quite strong enough.
"I'm definitely looking to get another name in before the start of the season."
Boggins revealed that the need to bring in a new forward is partly due to an injury to Ian Cooper, who could be out of action until December.
Saturday's game at Vauxhall Road began well for the Tudors. Visiting keeper Kieron Thorp was forced into pulling off two fine one-handed saves before the half hour mark to deny Chris Dillon, and defender Aaron Dalhouse had to make an excellent goal line clearance to keep out a goal-bound effort from new signing Chris Wales.
But the Eagles finished the half the stronger side, with Tudors' stopper Ian Brown having to be alert to tip a strike from Billy Bingham onto his post.
Brown was called into action again early in the second period, but he could do nothing about Nathaniel Pinney's strike which put palace ahead on 56 minutes.
Both sides made changes as time ticked by, and chances became fewer and far between. Pinney's solitary strike was the only thing separating the teams as the final whistle blew.
Despite the loss, Boggins was please with Hemel's showing and with some individual performances in particular.
"I thought we played well and created some good chances," he said. "The first half we were exceptional.
"Wales and Sweeney were very good and Marsh played very well up front. Our man of the match though was Chris Herron on the left hand side of midfield. He was outstanding."
With the new faces Bateman has brought into the Hemel set-up, Boggins is confident that the current crop have a better chance of promotion than last season's squad.
"I think we will definitely be there or there abouts," he added.
"We are playing well enough and we are strong enough. Last year we didn't have any battlers but now we've managed to bring some in. It will be interesting."
The Tudors' first game is away to Mangotsfield United on Saturday August 16, with their first home game the following Tuesday (August 19) against Bedford Town.
Hemel take on Dunstable town in an away pre-season friendly this Tuesday.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
