Willenhall boss still positive

Boss Mel Eves insists it’s not all doom and gloom at Willenhall - despite back-to-back heavy defeats.

The Lockmen shipped eight goals in losing 5-0 at Aylesbury United last Saturday, before bowing out of the Errea Cup 3-0 at the hands of Sutton Coldfield at Noose Lane in midweek.

But Eves insists he’s taken positives from both performances and results - not least because he says he now knows more about his players’ character.

“We have to learn from this,” said Eves, whose side entertained local rivals Hednesford Town in the first round of the FA Trophy today.

“You find out more about the players in defeats than you do in victories.

“At the same time you have to understand that last Aylesbury are a good side who have traditionally played at a higher level and are getting their act back together.

“After last Saturday they went and won 4-1 at Romulus, who have been going well, and you have to ask whether we just caught them at the wrong time.

“We should have actually been in front at half-time because we missed two glorious chances through John Williams and Tyrone Barnett and ended up going in a goal down.

“Then in the second half it all went wrong for us.”

Eves was much happier with his team’s display against Sutton Coldfield.

“We changed the team around to play Sutton, who had just come off a 6-1 win against a side we lost too earlier in the season,” he added.

“But we let a silly goal in straight from a free kick and lost two more in the last 10 minutes. 3-0 flattered Sutton, considering we didn’t have our strongest side out.”