Smith: Vines a Tooting talisman (From Your Local Guardian)
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Smith: Vines a Tooting talisman
9:58am Monday 15th March 2010 in
Billy Smith admits he would find it near impossible to replace Paul Vines if the talismanic striker were ever to depart Imperial Fields.
Vines made it 24 goals for the season with a brace in Saturday’s impressive 3-1 defeat of league leaders Dartford.
And with 117 goals to his name in 189 appearances for the Terrors, Smith has his fingers crossed he can keep hold of Vines for some time.
He said: “In many ways Paul is irreplaceable.
“He really is a goal-scoring machine.
“The thing is with Paul is he very rarely scores an easy goal - usually it is a ball over the top that he is on to in a flash and then he finishes well.
“He has a great shot on him and if you give him a chance it is usually in the back of the net.
“The added bonus this season is he has Simon Parker up front with him - in the past it has been Paul scoring or nothing but Simon has changed all that.”
Parker made it 13 goals for his season with the other in the weekend victory as Tooting re-ignited their play-off hopes.
And Smith was delighted with his side’s efforts.
He added: “It was our best result of the season and our best performance of the season.
“To be honest the games against the bigger sides do not worry me as they give you more time on the ball which suits us.
“It is the games against the lesser sides where we struggle and that is something we have to put right.”
Tooting face Canvey Island on the road this weekend as they look to maintain their push for a top-five finish.
Smith added: “We just need to become that bit more consistent.
“At the moment it seems to be win a game, lose a game and that will not get us into the play-offs.”
Tooting & Mitcham’s next three matches: Mar 20 Canvey Island (a), 22 Wealdstone (h), 27 AFC Hornchurch (h)
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Vines rounds Dartford's keeper
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Ted Parsons says...
8:00pm Wed 24 Mar 10
I believe that every now and then there comes along a player that has radar like ability to know where the opposition’s goal is where ever they are on the field of play. Paul like Paddy has this ability. But such ability can only come into play if they have contact with the ball and the best ball to receive is on the ground to the feet, you can’t hold the ball up in the air (a headed goal is a welcomed bonus).
I still think we still have sporting chance of promotion if Paul gets the right type of service give him the ball and trust me the goals will come, and if he’s not the goal scorer he will assist other players to score. So “Come on Tooting’ give the ball to Paul (a legend in the making) because a rising tide will lift all boats.
Ted Parsons
Colchester