Smith: I'm demanding more high level performances in final six league games of the season - The Bromsgrove Standard

Smith: I'm demanding more high level performances in final six league games of the season

Bromsgrove Editorial 6th Apr, 2016 Updated: 17th Oct, 2016   0

PAUL SMITH has urged his Bromsgrove Sporting side to maintain their high level performances going into the last six games of the season.

The Rouslers put on one of their best shows of the season on Tuesday night as they claimed an important 3-1 victory over Hinckley to maintain their position at the top of the Midland League Division One table.

With several key first team players missing, Smith was forced to move his squad around but they didn’t disappoint as two goals from Jozsef Jakab and one from Sam Wills secured the win for the Rouslers who sit five points clear at the top.

Smith said: “It was a really tremendous win for us and could have been a huge banana skin as Hinckley were on a good run of form.




“But with all due respect to Hinckley, the scoreline flattered them a little bit as we were by far head and shoulders the better side on the night.

“With the fact I had several key midfielders missing it made things difficult but Luke Dugmore came in and was immense.


“Sam Wills was moved from a forward role into a more central midfield role and was outstanding along with Liam Spink and Josh Westwood who completed the middle line.

“All four of them dominated the game and hats off to them for doing so.”

Sporting’s next game sees them welcome mid-table Coventry Copsewood to the Victoria Ground on Saturday and the Rouslers will be without Jakab and Jack Wilson for the clash while Reece Hewitt and Nathan Walker remain doubtful.

The last meeting between the two sides saw the Rouslers claim a comprehensive 4-1 victory back in December and after a dominating performance against Hinckley, Smith will be drilling into the players another strong showing is needed.

“I will be stressing to the players that they set a very high level performance at Hinckley,” he added.

“The players need to be reaching those levels in every game we have remaining because if we perform like we did at Hinckley, we will be very close in terms of clinching the title.

“If we put in a performance like that over the last six games I cannot see us losing so I will be demanding my players to keep pushing on.

“I’ll also be drilling into the players ahead of Saturday’s game that we cannot be complacent as in some games this season against the lower sides, we haven’t raised our game.

“Performances get results so I’ll be reiterating that to the players before Saturday’s game.”

Before the Copsewood game, there’s the small matter of Coventry United taking on Nuneaton Griff on Thursday night, a game which Sporting will be keeping a close eye on as they’re both in the mix for the title.

However, Smith insisted regardless of the outcome, Thursday’s game will have no implication on where the Division One title will go at the end of the season.

“A perfect result for us would be to see Nuneaton win. If we can win all our games and Nuneaton win all theirs the title is in our own hands,” he said.

“But whatever happens on Thursday, it will not decide who will win the league.

“Both sides have got massive title aspirations but we’ve done our bit by putting extra pressure on them both so it will be nice to sit back and watch how the game goes.”

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