Football
Fairfield bid to secure final spot

FAIRFIELD Villa will bid to secure a place in the Worcestershire Junior Cup final tomorrow when they entertain Bredon in the semi-final (1.30pm).

It is a competition Villa have a decent record in over the last few years having reached two finals, one of which they won, and numerous semi-finals and they will hope to give themselves a chance to lift the trophy again with victory tomorrow.

Their opponents currently sit fourth in Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two and Villa joint manager Paul Oakes expects it to be an interesting battle between the sides.

“They won at Littleton in the last round who we know all about so they must be a decent side,” he said.

“We played them about three years and got beat in what was an even contest but I don’t know anything about them really and they won’t know anything about us so it should be interesting.

“It is a very big game for us and one we are all very focussed on. It will be a massive boost if we can secure a place in the final and help to keep the season alive given the league form is not what we would want it to be.”

Villa’s latest outing in Midland Combination Division One on Saturday saw them held to a 1-1 draw at home by FC Glades Sporting, a side they beat 5-1 in the Smedley Crooke Memorial Charity Cup just seven days earlier.

Ryan Sproston was on target for Villa with a smart left foot finish but Glades drew level on the stroke of half time when heading home from a corner.

“It was a bit of a nothing sort of game really,” Oakes said.

“I was happy with our display though given the fact we had a few missing. I don’t think we were quite at it like the week before and I think they improved at the same time, so a draw was the right result.”

Oakes has been dealt a blow ahead of tomorrow’s semi-final with the departure of James Turk to Division One rivals Bromsgrove Sporting.

“James is a very good player who will go on to play at a higher level, I am convinced about that,” Oakes said.

“He is a smashing lad and it is disappointing to lose him, especially after such a short time with the club.”

Oakes will also have to do without Jamie Hatfield against Bredon who, after being an ever present up until last Saturday, is set to miss his second game in succession with an ankle problem.