DEFENDER Tom Sharpe believes goalkeeper Ryan Boot will be back to his “reliable self” when Worcester City take on Boston United at the Jakemans Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

Boot had a day to forget last Saturday as he gifted Brackley Town two goals in their 3-0 FA Cup triumph at the Victoria Ground.

But Sharpe is confident the 21-year-old, who is on loan from League One side Port Vale, will put that error-strewn performance behind him.

“It is a shame when you see a keeper make a mistake because quite often it gets punished and then it is there for everyone to see,” Sharpe said.

“But it’s not like he has been in bad form.

“Mistakes happen and unfortunately it happened twice in one game.

“But I have got no doubt Booty will be back stronger than ever tomorrow and back to his usual reliable self.”

Boot has conceded six goals in his last two games but Sharpe was keen to stress his influence since arriving last month as he notably secured three successive clean sheets.

“Booty has been absolutely fantastic and I don’t think it has been a coincidence that, since he has come in, we have kept clean sheets and looked solid at the back,” Sharpe continued.

“As a defender, he gives you confidence and after those couple of mistakes he pulled off six or seven saves when you expected the ball to go in.”

Although Brackley striker David Pitt pounced on Boot’s dropped catch to score, Sharpe said he was “frustrated” to see the opposition convert from another corner having allowed Nuneaton Town two free headers in their 3-2 win over City a week earlier.

“Set-pieces are one of those things you do have a bit of a say over what happens,” said the 27-year-old, who is expected to line up at centre-back against 12th-placed Boston tomorrow.

“It is not the same every time when the ball comes into the box but, if you get organised, you should be able to prevent them. We do work on them every week.

“Sometimes you just come up against a team who can put into practice what they have done during the week. But conceding from a set-piece is one of my biggest frustrations as a defender.”

Despite suffering back-to-back defeats, Sharpe is adamant his side can return to the form which saw them go on a six-match unbeaten run in September.

“Boston has always been a difficult place to go,” he said.

“But if we can play anywhere near our best and get back to how we were a couple of weeks ago, I have got no doubt we will go there and get something.

“We have been sharp in training, so I think the results will come and so will the performances.”