Not-so-tiny Tim out to make big impact (From Worcester News)

Not-so-tiny Tim out to make big impact

10:00am Tuesday 31st August 2010

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UNLESS covering basketball, I don’t often find myself cricking my neck during interviews.

That changes when speaking to Worcester City goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe who, at 6ft 5ins, cuts quite a commanding figure.

It is the sort of towering presence the affable 21-year-old says is a vital weapon in any goalkeeper’s armoury if they are to be successful.

Danny McDonnell certainly had a presence, if not in physical stature then in reputation and ability — defenders knew they had a safe pair of hands behind them.

It was less so the case with Jake Meredith last season and led to the former Team Bath keeper being replaced by Danzelle St Louis-Hamil-ton and then released by manager Carl Heeley.

Now it’s Sandercombe looking to establish himself in the number one jersey following a brief spell in the Blue Square Bet Premier with Mansfield Town — a move earned with impressive displays for Stafford Rangers.

“I had a somewhat disappointing time last year. I moved to Mansfield and I did not get the game time that I thought I would,” he said.

“Thankfully, Carl Heeley offered me a trial here during pre-season and I did quite well and he offered me a contract.

“I’m just determined to keep hold of my place and build on what I’m doing and try and do as well as I can each week.

“Things are going well at the moment. The lads make it easy, there’s a great team ethic, nobody shouts at anybody else and it’s a good dynamic.

“The manager has made me feel right at home as well so I feel quite happy here.”

That has shown with some fine point-blank reflex saves, although Sandercombe, currently commuting from Tor-quay until he finds somewhere to rent, has drawn criticism for his preference to punch rather than catch the ball. When asked what his strengths were, the City keeper said: “I’d say I’m a good shot-stopper.

“I’ve got a fairly good kick on me and I try to be as vocal as possible.

“I feel, as a goalkeeper, presence is your main thing and if you can be as big and as loud as you can it does help the back-four, so I try and do that as much as possible.

“I’m still only young so I’m trying to do as much as I can and learn more week in, week out.

“As the season goes on and the more training we do and the more games we play together the understanding’s just going to grow and grow.

“I feel we’ve got a good def-ensive base. If someone messes up, someone else covers, so it’s good at the moment.”

He added: “It’s a great standard to play in and, of course, if you get a team that’s doing quite well, like Worcester, people talk about you and you get noticed.

“As long as the team do well and we get as many points as possible then I’m happy with that and then hopefully my performances will tie in with the points that we’re getting.”