Express & Star

Spicer keen to fuel belief in safety bid

Wayne Spicer has called on Wolves Sporting to give their ‘Great Escape’ bid further momentum by beating Dunkirk.

Published

Last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Loughborough University saw Sporting finally climb off the foot of the Midland League Premier table.

And they now travel to face the team who replaced them at the bottom, aiming for a third win in five games.

Boss Spicer said: “The first step was to get off the bottom of the table and we have managed that. It has given everyone a huge boost.

“Now we’ve got another huge game which, if we win, will further fuel the belief we can get out of trouble.”

Spicer believes most had already written off his team after a run of six straight defeats left them cut adrift.

But they have picked up seven points from the next four games to give themselves a glimmer of hope.

The situation is complicated due to the fact no-one yet knows how many teams will be relegated, meaning Sporting might be as many as 10 points from safety.

Spicer said: “We can’t do anything about that so we aren’t going to worry about it.

“All we can do is concentrate on taking as many points as possible from the remaining eight games.

“The run-in isn’t too bad. We play a number of teams in the bottom half of the table and there is an opportunity for us.

“We’ve set our stall out now for how we want to play and we won’t change that. It it is not to be, it is not to be. But we won’t stop fighting.”

At the other end of the table, second-placed Walsall Wood visit Stourport Swifts looking for a win to keep the pressure on leaders Ilkeston Town, who currently boast a six-point lead at the top.

Lye Town, down in 15th, can have their say in the title race when they host Ilkeston at Stourbridge Road.

AFC Wulfrunians visit Coventry Sphinx, knowing victory could see them climb into the top six, depending on results elsewhere.

Fourth-placed Sporting Khalsa are without a fixture, despite having at least two games in hand on everyone else at the top end of the division.

Ian Rowe’s men are celebrating reaching the last four of the JW Hunt Cup following a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Wulfrunians in midweek.

A far post header from David Meese in the 87th minute earned Khalsa a 1-1 draw after George Taylor had given the visitors the lead at the Aspray Arena on 68 minutes.

The tie went straight to penalties but Khalsa were pushed all the way before winning 7-6.