MANAGER Keith Draper has challenged his Fairfield Villa side to build on their winning start to the Post-COVID Lockdown Charity Cup, after edging Coventry Alvis 1-0 in last weekend’s opener.
Pete Jenvey’s first-half header decided the contest at Green Lane, securing a first win in a competitive fixture in the 2020/21 season for the Swans.
For the Fairfield boss, a three-point haul in the competition at the first time of asking was a mere bonus – with the performance put on by his troops the biggest priority going into last weekend’s encounter.
“It was nice to get a winning start, but more pleasing was the attitude and application of the boys who worked their socks off,” said Draper.
“It’s a start, but we have to keep our intensity and work rate up to keep improving.”
Swans midfielder Jenvey provided the first example of his threat when he cracked the frame of the post midway through the half, after beating his marker to the ball to fire goalwards.
Then, despite Alvis growing into the game, Villa hit the front when Jenvey launched himself at Sam Hawker’s centre and found the net with a powerful 28th-minute header.
Jake Marsden played a key role between the sticks for the visitors after the interval, maintaining Fairfield’s slender advantage as Coventry took control of proceedings.
With the game approaching its conclusion, James Wynne almost wrapped up victory with a drive against the Alvis post, before being denied on the goal-line moments later.
A home fixture now awaits against Alcester Town on Saturday, who edged Redditch Borough 2-1 in their curtain raiser thanks to strikes from former Fairfield man Ross Dempster and Mickey Wright.
