IAN GRAY has set the personal target of keeping a clean sheet against Hull City as Town bid to bounce back from their worst performance of 2004.
The big keeper was beaten by Leo Fortune-West and Paul Green in Town's miserable 2-1 defeat by Doncaster on Monday.
Gray, in fact, hasn't kept a clean sheet himself since October 11 last year, when Torquay were beaten at home by Tony Carss' spectacular long-range volley, because he's been sidelined by a serious hand injury.
"I went into the Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds games without training in the previous two weeks and it was a bit daunting, but I managed to come through and I'm back to where I was fitness wise at the start of the season," said Gray, who damaged the same hand in the opening fixture at Stockport.
"In the games since I haven't had any knocks, which is great, and I'm feeling confident now the sharpness is there from playing in more matches.
"The only thing now is keeping a clean sheet. I would love to buy one because it's been a long time, but it will come - hopefully against Hull."
Back-up Phil Senior was playing in the Reserves at Doncaster today (2.00) while Gray - who did extra training with the senior squad on what should have been a day off yesterday - focused on Sunday's derby against a Hull side beaten 1-0 at home by Bradford last night in a match watched by Town manager Peter Jackson.
Gray said: "This is a tough League against well-organised teams and there isn't an easy game. Hull is another big one and is a chance for us to pick ourselves up at home and recover from the defeat at Doncaster.
"It's not going to be easy because it's a learning curve, but we will stick at it. We will give 110% and turn things around.
"Doncaster got the ball down and passed it well. We didn't really get going until too late on."
Jackson is the guest of the Patrons Association at the Galpharm tomorrow (8.00). The annual meeting is at 7.30.
