Morning Kenty. Lockdown 2 seems a bit strange to be honest. I’m still attending University every day (albeit virtually), but apart from that there’s seemingly nothing else to do! So I think boring would be the word I’d use so far.

Are you frustrated that football has had to stop for a month? Are you itching to get going again?

Absolutely, I think all the lads were enjoying being in that dressing room more than anywhere else. I think I speak for everybody when I say I cannot wait for the season to restart.

How happy are you with the season so far? Must be nice to look at the league table and see us at the top of it.

Yeah, over the moon! More so for everyone at the club really. I definitely believe the committee deserve this at the moment, after seeing the club struggle for the past few seasons. Showing up not knowing whether Bodle would have to play or not, so for everyone behind the scenes, I’m glad for them. However there’s still a lot of football to be played yet.

And on a personal level, you’ve got seven clean sheets in nine league games, you must be delighted with that?

I’m so happy with it. That’s the most clean sheets I’ve kept in a season which I think might say more about me than anything else! Haha I can’t take all the credit, the lads in front of me have been superb, especially the back four. I think at Eastwood we looked a little vulnerable defensively at times but that’s going to happen to a lot of teams on their pitch this year. Other than that, the lads have been class.

It must help you a lot to have two settled central defenders in front of you every week, whether that be Branno and Slacky at the start of the season or Branno and Mada like the past few weeks?

Definitely, Branno is an absolute Rolls Royce, there’s no other way to describe him. Mads probably reads the game better than anyone I’ve ever played with and he’s brilliant in the air. The biggest compliment I can give him is that you’d never guess it’s his first season with the lads and the club.

Slacky knows I’m a big fan of his. He was very good for us last season and I can’t wait for him to be back in the dressing room arguing with Sam Martin over some stupid comment he’s made.

You mentioned before that this is your best ever season in terms of clean sheets. You’ve always had a good reputation as a keeper but when you played for some of your former clubs, you’ve been struggling at the wrong end of the table, even with us last year in some respects. Is that helping you to enjoy this season more?

Yeah, 100%! I said to Dave it’s nice not to be scrapping around the wrong end of the table. It’s nice personally because I always had doubts about whether I’d be able to stay concentrated for the full ninety when I’m not having to make a save every ten-fifteen minutes. I think every young goalkeeper has those doubts, especially when all you’ve done at times is be a shot stopper.

Speaking of your former clubs, we’ve still got Clipstone and Shirebrook to play twice this season. Are you looking forward to going up against them?

I can’t wait to play Clipstone, loved my time there. They’re a really good club with good people behind the scenes. Shirebrook will be a very tough place to go as always. I’m sure I may get a frosty reception however the game itself will be a great one. I can’t wait for that fixture.

You’re not a local lad but those games are obviously local derbies. Are you looking forward to getting involved in them? There’s obviously Rainworth and Sherwood to come too.

Yeah I love a local derby, especially when there’s more than just local pride to play for as will be the case for both games. I think the lads are excited for the Sherwood game. We know it’ll be a tough test against the league favourites but it’ll be a good opportunity to see where we’re at as a squad.

Finally, do you have any targets for the rest of the season? Both as a team and individually.

My original target was ten clean sheets so hopefully we can get that done and dusted sooner rather than later!

I think as team, it’s to go out and win every game of football possible. We’ve shown we can play against everyone on their day, even when we’ve been down to ten men.