ROCESTER boss Dave Langston is preparing his side for the biggest game at the club in 26 years – by taking them to a Zumba dance class.
The Romans squad will turn up at a leisure centre in Rugeley tonight expecting to complete a usual training session of drills, fitness work and maybe a five-a-side.
However, Langston has booked all 16 available first-teamers into a Zumba class, a Colombian dance-based fitness routine.
“I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces,” said the Romans boss. “Russell Slade first did it when he came to Armitage from Notts County and made us do a dance class.
“It’s a different sort of fitness and it’s great for the lads to do something different.
“They worked very hard on Tuesday night and there’s no way we could go training outside with the weather.”
The weather is a major problem ahead of Saturday’s FA Vase fourth round tie against Runcorn Town at Hillsfield, kick-off 3pm.
If the expected snowfall comes, it could wipe out Rocester’s biggest game in 26 years since Alan Beaman’s Romans side beat the mighty Halesowen Town at the same stage of the Vase in 1986/87.
It could push Rocester even further behind in their chase to complete a Midland Alliance campaign which is already well behind schedule.
The Romans lost 3-2 at Gornall Athletic at the weekend, losing their unbeaten away record this season in the process.
They are still the only side to have beaten Gornall in the league this season – 5-1 on the opening day – but Langston was disappointed at not sealing a third win on the bounce to climb the table.
“Saturday was hugely disappointing for everyone involved,” said the Romans chief. “We were the better team by far so it was hard to take losing the game and our away record.
“There were some very good performances, particularly from Edwin Ahenkorah and Chris Sterling.
“But two awful mistakes from Joe Rogers cost us two goals and it was surprising because he’s been one of our most consistent performers this season.”
ROMANS FROM: Froggatt, Rogers, McLeod, McComisky, Johnson, Bullock, Allen, Pirrie, Langston, Ward, Grocott, Kinch, Bromley, Swain, Sterling, Smith, Ahenkorah, Lennon.
