Alcester make five signings ahead of title tester

FOOTBALL

ALCESTER Town bosses Matt Seeley and Richard Briggs will have FIVE new signings in contention for today’s Midland League Division Three trip to Coventry Plumbing.

Seeley and Briggs view the match at fifth-placed Plumbing, who have won six and lost one of their seven league games so far, as the chance to show their own credentials as title contenders.

And they will bolstered with four new faces plus the return of former player-boss Danny Janes.

Janes, who left in the summer after two years in charge, has returned via Earlswood Town.

But Alcester have also drafted in goalkeeper Luis Sone from Littleton, striker Dan Carter from Paget Rangers, Danny Cullen from Chelmsley Town plus adding attacking midfielder Reece Hewitt on a short-term arrangement from Highgate United.

The Red and Blacks will be sweating on the fitness of Luke Dugmore, who needed nine stitches in a gashed leg in last week’s Birmingham Vase shoot-out win against Coventrians while new midfielder Luke Williams, who was signed last week, is recovering from a groin strain.

“Saturday will be a big test to see where we are,” said Seeley. “To my mind, there are five teams that will be pushing for the title and we’re one of them, along with Bartestree, Inkberrow, AFC Solihull and Cov Plumbing.”

FC Stratford will be on a revenge mission when they head to Earlswood Town in their Division Two fixture.

Earls knocked out Nick Ballinger’s side in the Les James Challenge Cup in August, progressing 6-5 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

“It was a good cup-tie but we came out on the wrong side so we’d love to go back and get the win on Saturday,” said boss Ballinger.

FC Stratford will head to The Pavilions in positive mood after brushing aside Hampton 5-1 last week in one of their best performances of the season so far.

“They couldn’t get the ball off us,” said Ballinger. “We played some really good football.”

Shipston Excelsior look for their first win of the season when they head to Leamington Hibernian in the Challenge Vase, while Central Ajax travel to Castle Vale Town for a league match. A victory for Ajax will take them top of the table, with current leaders AFC Solihull on cup duty.

In Division One, Racing Club Warwick will aim to bounce back to winning ways when they head to Cadbury Athletic after a defeat and draw denied them the chance to go top of the table.

Studley are also on the road when they go to Brocton.