Grant: I was right to leave Cureton out

Peter Grant says the reaction of his former boss and now Charlton manager Alan Pardew vindicated his decision to leave leading scorer Jamie Cureton out of his starting line-up in midweek. The City manager's team sheet raised a few eyebrows, with Cureton on the bench and the goal-less Chris Brown ploughing a lone furrow up front.

Peter Grant says the reaction of his former boss and now Charlton manager Alan Pardew vindicated his decision to leave leading scorer Jamie Cureton out of his starting line-up in midweek

The City manager's team sheet raised a few eyebrows, with Cureton on the bench and the goal-less Chris Brown ploughing a lone furrow up front.

But Grant insisted it was because he needed to find a way of including Darren Huckerby in his side at The Valley - and that Pardew's reaction when he saw the winger's name on team-sheet told its own story.

“After the game Alan Pardew said, 'I didn't think you would play Huckerby', he said he was disappointed when he saw him on the team sheet - and that shows you the decision was right,” said Grant. “They nearly got a lift from the fact Huckerby wasn't playing.”

Grant says he is satisfied with the options he has in attack - although it doesn't cover up gaps elsewhere.

“Jamie was understanding, but I just wanted Darren in the team,” he said. “I thought Darren could give us something. To do that I thought I needed some help along with him. After a period of time I didn't think it was working, the three, we weren't getting a grip of the game the way we should have been so we changed it and Darren gave them another threat. Jamie fully understood that and has no problem with that.”

While Grant believes that the likes of Cureton, Huckerby, Brown and David Strihavka give him opportunities to make changes in attack, there is more concern in other areas of the pitch.

“We still haven't got the balance right in the middle of the pitch,” he said.

“But the top half of the field I think we can mix it, have different types, and the players accept that and know it is part of their job.

“I explained to the group at the start of the season that decisions will be made they won't be happy with, certain combinations I will use at certain times, certain things I will do; when you are playing well and all of a sudden you find yourself at the side of the pitch, but that's the nature of the beast.”

t Norwich City's reserves side will play a friendly against Peterborough's second string at Carrow Road on Monday (7.30pm) after the scheduled game with Stevenage Borough was postponed.

Stevenage pulled out of the game after being unable to field a full side for the Pontins Holiday Combination fixture.

But with Grant keen to ensure his fringe players kept their fitness levels topped up, an alternative has been arranged - with Posh happy to come along.