Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Cannock looking to take advantage
Thursday 6th August 2009, 6:04AM BST.
Fourth-placed Cannock are looking to capitalise on any slip-ups and skipper Liam Hickey reckons it’s now or never against Water Orton.
Cannock can make up ground with the top two, Wombourne and Brockhampton, facing each other.
Hickey, who will recall Greg Bloomer in place of Will Fleet and has Eral Anderson and Dave Womble available again for the Second Division clas, knows what is at stake.
The captain said: “It’s our time now and we need to keep doing what we’ve been doing well and keep winning.
“If they drop points it’s an ideal opportunity to gain ground on them, but we’ve got to get past Old Elizabethans first.”
Penn are also in action when they travel to St Georges. Richard Bradford’s side need a win over their relegation rivals to escape the drop zone.
Wombourne captain Liam Hughes knows a win is vital in their top-of-the-table clash with Brockhampton.
The Division Two leaders host secondplaced Brockhampton on Saturday in a potential title decider.
Hughes said: “It’s obviously a huge game and the team who wins it are going to be favourites for the league. It’s really important we perform.
“We’re trying to work on things one game at a time. Brockhampton are second but we won’t be treating them any differently as all the sides are good in this division.
“We don’t take anyone lightly.”
In Division Three, Fordhouses will be forced into two changes, when they entertain Aston Unity looking to boost their fading promotion hopes.
Josh Giddins will step in from the second team to replace the unavailable Mike Mandzuk, in a like-for-like change to the middle order.
Captain Russell Thompson must replace Danny Hussain, who is also missing.
Mid-table Lichfield travel to struggling Eastnor, while Milford Hall will look to return to winning ways at home to Moseley Ashfield.
In the Premier League, Wolverhampton will bid overseas player Sairaj Bahutule farewell this weekend with captain Simon Lycett admitting the Indian’s departure could end their title hopes.
The veteran spinner will play his final match for the Danescourt outfit at Walmley on Saturday, after helping them climb to second in the table.
Lycett is playing down his team’s title chances.
He said: “Sairaj is such an important player for us and he will be hard to replace, so winning the league might be a step too far for us this year.
“We would be happy with a top-four finish. Sairaj is leaving now a couple of weeks earlier than we had expected, but I’m sure he will try to go out with a bang.”
Chris Lowe will replace fellow all-rounder Richard Harris, who is unavailable.
Defending Champions Walsall will name an unchanged team to entertain Moseley on Saturday.
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