JOHN Edwards wants to end his Uttoxeter Town bogey on Saturday to prove Studley’s season is firmly up and running.
After successive defeats, the Bees chalked up their first win of the Midland League Division One season last weekend in sweeping aside Nuneaton Griff 5-2.
Joint boss Edwards says it was just the pick-me-up the team needed and he has urged his players to continue the momentum when they head to Uttoxeter on Saturday.
It has been a far from happy hunting ground in the past for Edwards and Wayne Bunn, with last season’s trip to Staffordshire ending in a 1-0 defeat, while the pair also lost 4-2 at Uttoxeter the previous season as managers of Littleton.
“We were comfortable winners against Nuneaton and hopefully that will kickstart our season,” said Edwards. “You can sense in training this week the confidence is a lot higher.
“It would have been difficult to start the season with three defeats but now we can go to Uttoxeter feeling a lot more upbeat.
“It will be another tough test, going there. It’s been a bogey ground for us. They are a good side with a very good home record but we’ll be doing all we can to end that.”
Studley will be boosted by the return of striker Danny Carter after he missed the Griff clash but defender Jordan Jones remains a doubt as he recovers from a quad muscle injury.
Last weekend’s display featured positives in attack and defence, with Dale Edwards seizing his chance to score twice and a new-look back-line showing promising signs.
Edwards opened and finished the scoring against Nuneaton, with Odane Barnes, Josh Westwood and Sean Cooke also netting. Ryan Slinn scored both goals for Griff.
“Dale was very good, when he’s on his game he is unplayable,” said Edwards. “Odane got his second goal in three matches and he is looking the part.
“We changed the defence with a back three and brought in Luke Hennessy for his debut and he was outstanding.”
Hennessy, who has switched from Heather St John’s, featured in the middle of the back three, with Dave Edwards and teenager Sammy Leonard-Mould either side.
Leonard-Mould, 17, is on dual registration from Stratford Town after being recommended by the Blues.
“I went to watch Stratford and Alcester in a friendly and asked about the chances of getting a centre-half,” said Edwards. “They pushed Sammy forward. They think a lot of him and said he’s not quite ready for the first team but he is too good for the reserves.”
