DROITWICH Spa’s inability to defeat a side in the top four continued at the weekend as they suffered a 3-2 home defeat to Darlaston Town.
And joint-boss Wayne Oliver has called on his side to reduce the silly errors being made in attack and defence.
In a topsy-turvy encounter at Walshes Meadow last Saturday, Spa took the lead after just two minutes when James Lemon finished past Darlaston keeper Liam Whittaker after being played through by Ben Tilbury.
The lead did not last long, though, as the visitors equalised just four minutes later when Daniel Bolzon fired home into the far corner.
Darlaston had the chance to take the lead from the spot after 20 minutes when Curtis Townley brought down Luke Charlton but Spa keeper Matt Oliver did well to save Ant Follows’ spot-kick.
Lemon put Spa back in front five minutes into the second period, heading home from Jack Davies’ pin-point cross.
Once again, though, the visitors hit back seven minutes later.
Oliver’s clearance deflected into the path of Bolzon who had a simple finish from 18 yards out.
With less than ten minutes remaining, Darlaston sealed the three points when an unmarked Luke Charlton headed home from Isaac Cooper’s corner.
The result means Spa are still yet to beat a side in the top four of West Midlands One having drew 1-1 with Team Dudley in late September before losing 3-2 to Worcester Raiders at the end of October.
Joint-boss Wayne Oliver said: “We have to stop cutting out the errors at both ends of the field.
“However, if somebody had offered us to be top of the table with 31 points at this stage of the season we would have snapped their hands off.
“We’re just taking things in blocks of ten and we’ve already played a lot of the top teams twice already this season.
“After the Team Dudley game in a fortnight, there’s just Worcester Raiders to come but we will see how things go.
“What’s important is going forward we have to cut out the silly mistakes.”
Spa now turn their attentions to the Worcestershire FA Junior Cup on Saturday when they play host to Inkberrow.
Bradley Burgess, Matt Hunt and Graham Pardoe will be missing and Oliver says he will use the cup tie as a chance to give minutes to those who have not had much game time this season.
“We would like to progress but the county cup is not the be all and end all,” he added.
“After the defeat to Darlaston we will approach the game with more care but it will be an interesting exercise for us.”
