STUDLEY boss Kev Kingham knows his side will have to produce a vastly improved display if they are to stand a chance of making FA Vase progress at Chelmsley Town on Saturday.
The Bees were thrashed 6-1 at Town in Midland League Division One on Saturday, leaving them 16th in the table with just four points from seven matches, and Kingham does not want to see a repeat performance when the sides meet again in the Vase first qualifying round.
“We haven’t made the best of starts to the season but Saturday was our worst performance. The game was lost with us 3-0 down after eight minutes,” said Kingham.
“Our only consolation was Scott Devlin scoring in the last minute and it was the worst performance in my two years in charge of the football club.
“We’ve gone through some things in training this week and I’m hoping to turn things around as some players return from injury.”
The Bees manager has made two additions this week in the shape of goalkeeper Sean Edwards and defender Dan Dineen, who have both joined from league rivals Pershore Town.
FECKENHAM produced a much-improved display to earn a 1-1 Midland League Division Two draw at home to Paget Rangers at the Entaco on Non-League Day on Saturday.
The Millers were the better side in the first half but could not make their superiority count despite Danny Williams and Jack Brimmell going close.
Rangers came out with a better tempo in the second half and took a 50th-minute lead through Matthew Coates.
However, the hosts stuck at their task well and, after George Tolley had seen his strike well saved, they levelled two minutes from time when Jordan Adams neatly controlled Ben Cox’s superb delivery before firing into the roof of the net.
Pacy winger Cox, 22, is a new recruit from local rivals Redditch Borough, with whom he has spent the last three seasons.
Also new through the door at Feckenham is the versatile Joe Taylor, 21, who is primarily a left back and has arrived from Premier Division outfit Coventry Sphinx.
Eighth placed Feckenham host Sutton United in the Les James Challenge Cup on Saturday before visiting Chelmsley Town in the Smedley Crooke Memorial Charity Cup on Tuesday.
ALCESTER Town were unable to return to winning ways in Midland League Division Three as they were beaten 1-0 by visitors Shipston Excelsior on Saturday.
However, it is fair to say luck was not on the hosts’ side as they were dominant for large spells of the game, only to be undone in the second half when a defensive clearance struck Shipston forward Wil Beach and flew into the net.
Town’s Keiran Downey twice had efforts cleared off the line on what was a frustrating afternoon for manager Danny Janes.
“The game was not the greatest in the world, at times it was very scrappy and not many chances were created by either team,” said Janes.
“I felt we did enough to win the game or at least get a point out of it. We delivered some fantastic balls into the box in the first half which were screaming to be attacked, but we never managed to take advantage.
“We had two chances cleared off the line and Shipston were lucky with their goal. The luck seems to be going against us at the moment.
“However, full credit to Shipston as they defended well and kept us out.
“The issue for me is that we have had too many average individual performances, which includes myself. Players now need to perform to their potential so we can start picking up points.”
Town, who have re-signed their former forward Robbie Davies from Feckenham, have three points from four games and visit AFC Solihull on Saturday.
