HAVERHILL Rovers manager Peter Betts has urged supporters to turn out in their droves and cheer on the team for their 'must win' game at home to Ely City on Tuesday.
The match, which was postponed last Friday due to snow, pits bottom-of-the-table Rovers against a side 12 points above them, having played a game more.
Manager Betts knows a win is vital, saying: "The Ely game is a big game for us, we need to get
a win.
"If we can get the public down there that would be great."
Although still missing the suspended Neil Cogger for Tuesday's match and the home fixture with Dereham Town the following Saturday, Betts is planning to blood new arrivals Joey Abbs, Steve Joyce and Andy Hughes against Ely.
Joyce, who can play in defence or midfield, has signed on loan from AFC Sudbury while midfielders Abbs and Hughes have joined temporarily from Fulbourn Institute and Concord Rangers respectively.
With Sam Holmes and Stuart Kingham facing one game bans (against Dereham), Cogger completing his three-match suspension and captain Marcus Hunt due to start a three-match ban from February 28 after his sending off at Woodbridge, manager Betts has recruited the three newcomers to add more depth and quality to his squad.
The club will, however, be sitting down with Hunt to discuss whether to appeal against the red card he received – the first of his career.
With the Ely match and Tuesday's game at Wivenhoe having fallen foul of the elements, a number of first team squad players will be turning out for the reserves in their game at FC Clacton on Saturday to gain vital match fitness.
Former captain Joe Harvey, who has only made one brief substitute appearance for the first team since injuring his foot last September, is in line to play for the reserves, as is Craig Cutts, Dan Marshall, Gareth Thomas, Ben Cowling, Ryan Kent, together with Andy Hughes.
Betts has also dismissed comments made by Wisbech Town manager Gary Setchell that Rovers are doomed to relegation after the Hamlet Croft side's 3-1 reverse at Woodbridge – a result which left them eight points adrift at the bottom.
"It's far too early to be talking like that and to be fair, if I was Gary, I would be more worried about his own side," said Betts.
"I think his side has won only one game in the last 13, on paper that's far worse form than ours."
