Rushall boss swoops for duo

Rushall manager Paul Holleran has swooped to sign two new strikers after losing yet another one to injury.

Damien Charie was ruled out for the rest of the season on Wednesday, adding to the loss of former Halesowen and Chasetown front man Sean Dowdall and Paul Szewczyk, both of whom are long term absentees.

Walsall youth team forward Alan Wilkes and Craig Marshall have arrived at Dales Lane to boost the Pic’s attacking options and were available for the clash with Stourbridge today, along with Junior Brown who is making his way back after a calf problem. 

Holleran admitted that February will be the vital month for the club, as the Pics are scheduled to play eight fixtures, many of them against teams around them in the table.

“February is a massive month for us now,” Holleran said.

“We’ve got seven or eight games in February that will shape our season.

“If we are going to push on and move up the table then February is going to be the key month without a shadow of a doubt. 

“We play eight games in February and every single one of them is juicy - they’re all against teams around us or above us, so I think we’ll know where we’re going by the end of the month. 

“We’re just getting Junior Brown back and Sean Dowdall is getting back into full training now – he’ll be available in a couple of weeks.

“If we can get these players back on the pitch and if we can keep everything else as it is then hopefully we can move up the table.”” 

Rushall suffered a setback to their play-off hopes on Wednesday night when a last minute goal led to a 1-0 defeat at Cinderford and the manager was disappointed not to take all three points away from their trip to Gloucestershire.

“We dominated the game for long periods, but we couldn’t quite get the goal and a lack of concentration at the end cost us,” Holleran said.

“To be honest, if it had been 6-0 no-one would have batted an eyelid, we were that much in control.

“It’s difficult to take, but we move on and put that one to bed now.”