Waddock: The winners will be who holds their nerve (From Bucks Free Press)

Waddock: The winners will be who holds their nerve

8:50am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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WANDERERS boss Gary Waddock says the winners of tomorrow's relegation dogfight against Exeter City will be the team which handles the nerves best.

Waddock is expected to pack his side with experience for the clash against the Grecians as he admits his team are now in must-win territory.

He said: “We have got to be strong mentally. It’s about being strong, handling the nerves and coping with the pressure and the experienced players must play their part in that.”

Wanderers are six points adrift of the Grecians, who themselves sit in the relegation places.

Waddock said: “We are getting to the stage where they are must-win games.

“It’s not about Exeter it’s about catching the team that’s out of the relegation zone. This game won’t determine where we finish but it will help.

“We would love to win on Saturday, people will say it’s a six-pointer because they are down there with us.

“If we win it it’s great because we are three points closer to them but three points are three points, you can’t gauge where the points will come from and where luck will play a part.”

Blues have ten games left to claw back the deficit and they plan to start against a team Waddock has the Indian sign over.

When he was Aldershot manager he won the Conference title at the Devon club’s ground and while he was the Shots boss he never lost a home match to Exeter. And his good record continued this season when Wanderers drew down in the westcountry.

But he says that will count for nothing tomorrow when Paul Tisdale’s side roll into Adams Park.

He said: “We know them really well and they know me and Martin Kuhl really well because of the last few years, but it will count for nothing come three o’clock.

“It’s about going out there being strong and performing.

“It’s a new game on Saturday. They are fighting for their lives and so are we and it will be a different experience.”

And even though Exeter have retained a large number of players from their Conference battles against Waddock’s Shots, he says he will be able to read little into them.

He said: “Their manager is a very good manager. He could come with a different formation on Saturday.

“He has done that a lot in the past. He is very tactically aware but it is not about them it is about us.”

Exeter collected only their second win of 2010 with a 90th winner to beat Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, while in their last outing Wanderers suffered last minute heartbreak as Oldham won a penalty to snatch a 2-2 draw.

Waddock said: “It was a cruel blow. The players were devastated after the game but we have got to let go and move on.

“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve played well in games and not got what we deserved.

“But we must move on because if we keep dwelling on the past it will affect the future. Saturday is another opportunity.”

Centre half Chris Westwood is expected to come back into the side in place of Alan Bennett who is back at Brentford.

Midfield talisman Gareth Ainsworth is fit for the clash though and will be bidding to maintain his unbeaten record in Wanderers colours.

The 36-year-old has played four, won three and drawn one.

He asked to come off towards the end of last week’s match at Oldham but that was just down to tiredness.

Waddock said: “He’s a very important player for us. He hasn’t played much football recently and we told him to let us know when he was tired because we didn’t want to be without him this week.”