STUDLEY manager Keith Draper has full belief in his side as they prepare for Saturday’s vital Midland League Division One fixture at home to Southam United.
The Bees, who saw Saturday’s scheduled home game against Heath Hayes postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, slipped back into the bottom two as a result of Stafford Town’s 2-1 weekend victory at Heather St John’s.
However, Draper’s side have many “winnable” matches among their dozen remaining league fixtures, none more so than the visit of the rock-bottom Saints who are yet to win a league match this season.
Draper said: “Heather losing to both Stafford and Pelsall Villa over the past week hasn’t done us any favours, but it’s completely in our own hands still.
“We know what we’ve got to do and, with the new players I have brought in over recent months, we are more than capable.
“The paperwork is just being finalised to bring striker Connor Perry-Holmes to the club from Littleton and he will be an excellent addition for us, hopefully involved this weekend.
“I’ll also be handing a debut to Brad Carter who we have on loan from Alvechurch. He’s only 18 but we feel he’s earned the chance to show what he can do and I believe he’s a very talented goalkeeper.
“I have to say that Alastair Lewis took the news very well in training this week. He understands the competition for places and says he’ll be there Saturday to help prepare Brad, which is brilliant and shows the togetherness within the squad.
“The only negative for us this week is the knee ligament injury picked up by Jack Moss which is going to keep him out for a good while. He will be a loss and I may have to look at bringing another central midfielder in.
“It’s looking good for us overall though. I am now having to turn players away, we’ve got a great challenge in front of us in the league and two cup semi-finals lying in wait.
“We are likely to climb out of the bottom two if we win on Saturday, possibly jumping two places, so the incentive is there.”
