Crunch time in Market Drayton survival bid

A trip to potent play-off contenders Carlton follows on Tuesday with a crunch clash at Town’s fellow relegation strugglers Wisbech a week tomorrow.

The last is one manager Dan Stevens says Town simply can’t afford to lose.

“Given how important the game is to both Wisbech and ourselves, winning might be a tough call – but we must get at least a draw,” he said.

“There’s a great spirit in the camp and given we’re effectively a new side, I think we are progressing really well. We’ve done more than enough in recent games to deserve results and I’m sure they are going to come.”

Stevens reckons Drayton need to win four or preferably five of their final 11 games to be absolutely sure of sustaining their BetVictor Northern Premier League South East Division status for another season.

And Wisbech, bracketed with them at the bottom of the table, must be seen as their prime target in what stands out as a six-pointer if ever there was one.

Stevens has signed virtually a new side since the turn of the year after taking over from Martyn Davies but, despite impressing in recent games, Drayton’s long-running lack of finishing power has let them down. Surprisingly however, Stevens now hopes a solution might come from Town’s more established ranks.

Andre James, an immensely able but somewhat unpredictable and injury-hit member of Drayton’s squad for a couple of years now, turned up for a hard, full-bore training session last week – and stole the show.

“He looked really keen, sharp and some of his finishing was superb,” said Stevens. “It was a training session but he looked so good I was going to put him straight into the team.”

It didn’t work out because Saturday’s home game with Loughborough Dynamo fell foul of the weather – but Stevens still hopes a fired-up James might help take Town out of trouble.