Football
Spa bid to extend improved run of form

DROITWICH Spa will bid to extend their improved run of Midland Combination Division One form on Saturday when they visit Coton Green.

Richard Goode’s side have picked up seven points from the last nine available, the last of which came in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home against West Midlands Police to leave them 16th in the table, one place below Coton Green.

The draw came on the back of victories against Archdale 73 and Fairfield Villa over the Christmas period and Goode is hopeful they can continue their form for the remainder of the season.

“I was chuffed with our performances over Christmas and we produced another good display on Saturday,” he said.

“Hopefully we can keep the run going, starting with the next two games against sides around us in the table (Coton Green and Northfield) but we are under no illusions about how tough it will be.

“We need to try and remain hard to beat, hopefully keep a settled side and keep confidence levels up as they are at the moment.”

Both sides had a couple of chances to go ahead in a hard fought first half on Saturday before Spa took the lead with 15 minutes remaining when Darren Charles scored from the penalty spot after Stu James had been fouled.

Droitwich dealt well with the league’s leading scorer Steve Nurse for the majority of the afternoon but he managed to salvage a point for the home side with five minutes left.

“The Police are a very good side and it was a good point for us,” Goode said.

“I don’t think they liked the fact that a team struggling near the bottom got amongst them so much and caused them problems but we will always give as good as we get.

“There were a lot of good individual displays from us, Nick West and Nathan Davis were a couple of the lads to stand out. I was pleased with how well we played.”

A further boost for the club saw John Reid lead the Reserves to a 1-0 victory against Northfield thanks to Sam Darby’s goal and Goode says the importance of that result should not be underestimated.

“It is important to have a winning mentality throughout the club and I was chuffed that the Reserves won on Saturday.

“If they are doing well and the first team are doing well it gives a big pool of confident players to pick from and that can only be a good thing for everybody.

“In the last six weeks or so we have picked up a bit of a following which is pleasing to see as any support from the sidelines is always a great help to the players.”