Tricky double test ahead of FA Cup tie
UNBEATEN Stratford Town go head-to-head with two of their title rivals over the weekend before preparing for a tricky FA Cup tie.
Redditch United, with former Bards boss Tim Flowers at the helm, head to the Arden Garages Stadium on Saturday with a trip to AFC Telford United pencilled in for Bank Holiday Monday.
And for coach Paul Davis, back at the club to assist manager Gavin Hurren following the departure of Lee Vaughan this month, the games will be a real test for the players.
“Both Redditch and Telford finished in the play-offs last season so they will be very tough,” he admitted. “To finish where we want to finish, we need to win our home games. Redditch are on the same points as us and, like us, they have played some really tough teams and with manager Tim Flowers coming back to Stratford, they certainly won’t roll over.
“They will be different types of games – Redditch are better defensively but Telford are more free-flowing. We have a group of players that can adapt but at the moment, it seems as though half the squad is injured.
“There is some positive news around Reece Styche. When he went down at Bromsgrove, we all feared the worse, but he is coming along well so might not be out for as long as we thought. We have the likes of Tyrell Hamilton, Dan Vann and Charlie Williams who are a week or two away while Kieron Berry and Devonn O’Sullivan were on the bench Saturday.”
The draw for the first qualifying round of the FA Cup has handed the Bards a tricky home tie against Northern League Premier side Worksop Town.
Davis, manager of the club when they reached the first round proper against Shrewsbury Town in 2021, added: “They have just beaten Matlock 8-0 in the league and they wouldn’t have been a pushover.
“We are looking forward to it. When I was last at the club we got to the first round proper and it galvanises the town. If you get through a few rounds, the hope is that you draw a big side but all you can ask for at this stage is to play at home.
“To get to the first round proper which is like the cup final for non-league sides, then you have to play tough sides. Unfortunately, we have one first up in Worksop but at least we are at home.”
