AFTER giving Northwich Vics a youthful face with extensive surgery in January manager Dino Maamria is restoring a few wrinkles to the team.
He accused his side of naivety after they threw away a two-goal lead to draw with 10-man Ebbsfleet on Saturday.
So he has turned to one of non-league’s most experienced strikers in Darryn Stamp, who has joined on extended loan from Halifax Town.
Yorkshireman Stamp, 29, has seen service with Scunthorpe, Scarborough, Northampton, Chester, Kidderminster and Stevenage Borough.
He has scored five times in 34 appearances in 13 months at Halifax.
Maamria set about reducing the age of the team during the transfer window, adding 10 new men to the squad.
There has been an obvious improvement in performances, but Vics have still picked up only six points since the turn of the year – enough to make survival possible, but insufficient to call it a fightback.
The Vics chief was angry his side failed to take three points from Ebbsfleet and made his points behind locked doors in a length session after the match.
He said: “We were naive. We should have been able to see the game out.
“We lacked experience and should have kept the ball better, but we will learn from it.
“It was annoying and disappointing, but they are a good side and we have only been together a month.”
Vics were at Droylsden last night and, if they came through unscathed, should only be without Danny Williams, who has a damaged Achilles for the visit of Rushden and Diamonds in the Setanta Shield regional semi-final on Saturday, though there is some doubt over Mike Carr, who took a knock against Ebbsfleet. Mike Welch returns to the defence.
“The Shield is not a distraction from the league. It is good for us to do well in a cup competition and we have a good chance of getting to the final.
“But in the league I’d be happier playing the teams who are around us and that will soon happen.”
Droylsden look a lost cause, but Vics host Weymouth and Farsley (March 18 and 22) in what could be the decisive five days of the season.
