PAUL SMITH was delighted with Bromsgrove Sporting’s return to form over the weekend but has urged his players to not drop their levels to avoid being ‘turned over’.
The Rouslers maintained their unbeaten start to the new Midland League Division One campaign on Saturday as they came from 1-0 down to cruise to a 5-1 victory at Pelsall Villa.
Goals from Nathan Walker (2), Craig Jones, Robbie Bunn and new signing Jason Cowley secured the win for Sporting who sit three points behind league leaders Lichfield City with two games in hand.
And the tests come thick and fast for the Rouslers as they take on third place Nuneaton Griff at the Victoria Ground on Saturday (October 8) with Smith urging his players to keep up their high work rate to get a positive result.
He said: “I’m chuffed to bits we have put to bed three or four mediocre performances but I told the players they have to stick to those high levels now.
“We have been ticking off results recently but not playing well enough and I got into the lads that if we don’t perform we will get turned over.
“You can’t just turn up and think you’ll win because of the quality in the squad which is what I think the players have been doing recently.
“I was scratching my head after we found ourselves 1-0 down because we was where we wanted to be performance wise but fair play to the lads as they kept knocking on the door and with respect to Pelsall, it could have been double figures.
“It was about time the players put in an individual performance which led to good a team performance but we cannot drop from those levels.”
Daniel Morris and Aaron Roberts, who has now served out his suspension, are expected to make a return on Saturday but Keenan Meakin-Richards (holiday) is unavailable.
Daniel Ludlow will also miss the game after he signed for fourth-from-bottom Studley.
“Nuneaton, like ourselves, have title aspirations. They’ve had some changes but they’re up there for a reason so we need to be on our game to win,” Smith added.
“Our squad is good enough to get the three points but they have to put in the graft to earn the result.
“Hinckley was our first test as they have one of the biggest budgets in this league but my players came through that test and I’m confident they’ll do so again on Saturday.”
