David Cuffley Manager Bryan Gunn has backed David Marshall's decision-making after the City 'keeper was urged by the home crowd to speed up play in the closing stages of last week's 1-1 draw against Burnley.

David Cuffley

Manager Bryan Gunn has backed David Marshall's decision-making after the City 'keeper was urged by the home crowd to speed up play in the closing stages of last week's 1-1 draw against Burnley.

With the minutes ticking away, fans behind Marshall's goal in the Barclay Stand were demanding that he get the ball forward quickly in the search for a winner - but ex-goalkeeper Gunn applauded his fellow Scot for staying calm.

“It never used to get to me,” he said. “David might have identified that we were probably going to be up against it in those last five minutes and decided not to kick long balls.

“I think there were two occasions when he could possibly have kicked long balls with one person up the pitch but it would have been a race, a gamble for it. He decided not to. That's the decision you make on the pitch.”

Marshall was set to maintain his ever-present record at home to Coventry today.

Gunn said: “Who knows? Today might be different. He might make the other decision, kick it and we might get something from it.

“It's something we'll find out in the 95th minute if David produces a long kick and somebody has to run through and score a goal.

“I think we came away from the game last week unscathed where we could have come away from it really hurt.”

By his own admission, Marshall made a couple of errors this month in games against Wolves and Bristol City, but Gunn has total faith in the Scotland international.

He said: “Goalkeepers have blips and it's the character that goalkeepers show when they return to action and return to the training ground.

“I've been in the situation myself and it's a character test. David has certainly shown character coming back from minor blips - I wouldn't say it was anything major wrong there - and again, he's worked well this week in training.

“So I've got not worries at all with him. Stuart Nelson will be keeping him on his toes as well, and Declan Rudd. They all work together and there's a great camaraderie between them. They talk about different things and help each other through different situations, so with that competitive group working with Paul Crichton, I'm sure we'll have a goalkeeper at the top of his game ready for action.”