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'We'll get stronger'

24/ 9/2008

JIM Gannon is happy with his side’s start to life in League One, but he has also stated that his players will become even stronger as the season goes on.

The Hatters currently sit encouragingly in 10th place in the table after seven games following last May’s Wembley promotion success, and the manager is satisfied so far.

Gannon said: "It was important that we got off to a good start, and we’re in a respectable position.

"I wouldn’t say I’m comfortable, we’re a couple of points off the play-off places, but also a couple of points ahead of the relegation places.

"It’s important we build on this good start now though. We’ve shown we’re capable of picking up results and I know we’ll get stronger as the season goes on.

"This division will stretch us, I always knew that it would, but I’ll keep pushing the players sufficiently enough to stretch them. If we keep getting the best out of them as individuals, we’ll not set any barriers to our expectations"

County head off to Cheltenham on Saturday, bidding to extend their already excellent away record which has so far yielded two wins and a draw from three league games.

Gannon added: "If people were to look at the table, and consider the form we’re in on our travels at present, then they might fancy us to win again down there.

"However, Cheltenham will be far from easy.

"They are a big, physical side who have been galvanised and newly-motivated by a new manager [Martin Allen].

"It will probably be one of our toughest away games of the season.

"It’ll be important that we start strongly and perhaps get through to half-time with a clean sheet.

"After that then we’ll see what we can get out of the game."

Injury-wise, James Tunnicliffe [hamstring], Jason Taylor [foot] and Matty McNeil [knee] will miss the trip to Whaddon Road, but Michael Raynes should be okay after picking up a knock and Dominic Blizzard ought to have recovered from a bout of fatigue by the weekend.