United face one of their toughest challenges of the season this weekend as they travel to Hornchurch for a top-of-the-table clash, and defender Jordan Dyer knows exactly what the Gulls are in for.
The squad travel in confidence after Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Enfield. The Yellow Army’s support helping the team to three points.
“Obviously it’s a top-of-the-table clash and a tough place to go,” Dyer said. “We know how good they are and how good they were against us earlier in the season. It’ll be a tough game, but we’re focusing on ourselves and seeing how we get on.”
Confidence within the United camp remains high. Recent weeks have seen plenty of rotation due to circumstances, yet the team have continued to deliver results.
“We’ve had a lot of different games recently and had to chop and change the team,” Dyer explained. “But all the players who’ve come in have done well, and we’ve kept picking up results week in, week out. Hopefully we can continue that form.”
At the back, continuity has been key. A settled defensive unit has provided a strong foundation, with understanding and familiarity proving invaluable.
“The continuity massively helps,” he said. “It’s been a very similar back five almost all season. We know each other’s games inside and out. We’re aiming to get more clean sheets because we’ve conceded a few goals that on some days we probably wouldn’t have.”
The blend of experience and youthful energy has also played its part, with loan signings Kieran Wilson and Joe Hatch adding freshness to the group.
“The good thing about the loanees is that they’re young and fresh,” Dyer added. “It brings a different energy to the squad. They’ve all settled in really well and given us a lift”
Competition for places has been fierce, particularly with the squad close to full fitness, something Dyer believes is driving standards even higher.
“It’s a shame to be missing Callum [Dolan] because he’s a big part of the squad, but we’ve got competition everywhere,” he said. “If you’re not performing, someone else will take your shirt. That pushes everyone on in training and on matchdays.”
With the league entering a demanding phase and conditions changing, adaptability will be crucial – but Dyer is confident United have the tools to cope.
“We know we’ve got a squad good enough to win any game in this division, home or away,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to roll your sleeves up, but I feel we’ve got a bit of everything. Hopefully we can put the best version of ourselves out there and get three points.”
Finally, Dyer paid tribute to the travelling Yellow Army, who once again face long journeys to back the team.
“They’ve been fantastic all season,” he said. “We know how hard the travelling is, the time and money they put in. All we can do is give our best performance. As long as they keep supporting us, we’ll keep doing that, and hopefully we can strive towards something together.”
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