Shifnal relaxed for derby date with Mond in Vase

Early West Midlands Premier Division leaders Shifnal, who have won five from five this season, turn their attention to overcoming the odds against Midland Premier outfit Haughmond.

Carter sees the second qualifying round tie, worth £725 to the victors, as a ‘free hit’ for the hosts against favourites Haughmond, who were promoted from Shifnal’s league last season with a second-placed finish.

And he wants his players to relish the test of pitting their wits against a side from the division above, who won their first three points of the Midland League season last weekend.

“In a way it’s a free hit for us,” said Carter, who has midfielder Harry Cunningham suspended and concerns over a hamstring injury to striker Rees Wedderburn.

“We’re unbeaten in the league so it feels like the pressure is off. We can enjoy it a bit more.

“Everyone wants to be playing in at least the league above so we’ve said to the lads this is a test for them to see if they are capable of doing it week in, week out.”

Carter, who along with joint-boss Andrew Carrier joined Shifnal from Wednesfield in the summer, tackled Haughmond twice last season with their former club.

The management took five players to Acoustafoam Stadium side Shifnal from Wednesfield and Carter hopes the players involved in last season’s 10-man goalless draw against Haughmond can take heart.

“We played them just after Christmas by the time we’d got our team together and got a 0-0 draw playing 20 minutes with 10 men,” added the Town boss. “We’ll have to use that spirit again to get anywhere near them. But we’ve got a lot more quality (having moved) this year.

“We think they’ve turned the corner at the wrong time. It was an excellent result for them to win at Coventry United in the league and they played very well to beat Stone in the Vase last round. Without a doubt it’s our toughest task yet.”

Haughmond boss Dan Williams is expecting a tough test tomorrow.

“It’s a tough draw,” said boss Williams. “They’re flying high in the West Midlands League, scoring loads of goals and not conceding any. They’re top of their league on merit really.”

Haughmond welcome striker Scott Ryan back into the squad, but will be without midfielders Joe Parry and Cameron Davies.

Shawbury United are also in FA Vase second qualifying round action as they welcome Gornal Athletic, of the division below.

Declan Allen’s Shawbury, 13th in the Premier Division, impressed in a league defeat to Shifnal last weekend and will eye a spot in the first round proper of the Vase by seeing off their Black Country visitors, who are 10th in Division One.

It is fifth against seventh in Premier Division league action as Steve Groome’s in-form AFC Bridgnorth welcome newly-promoted Darlaston Town (1874).

In Division One league action, third-placed Wellington Amateurs welcome fourth-bottom FC Darlaston and Allscott Heath, in ninth, host Wyrley.

Boss Chris Waldron is hoping for more good days than bad as his young Ludlow side search for consistency.

Waldron conceded his side were not at the races as they lost 3-1 against the 10 men of Worcester Raiders Reserves for a second league defeat of the season.

Ludlow are still third in West Midlands Division Two with two wins and a draw from their first five games in what Waldron sees as an ‘up and down’ season so far.

The boss said: “We just never turned up. We were not at it. We were really poor and there are no excuses as far as we’re concerned.

“It was one of those days and we just hope it’s more of a one-off(A lack of consistency) seems to be the story so far, on our day we can beat anybody but we don’t have those often enough.”

A strike from Ryan Lewis, his fourth goal of the season, was not enough for the visitors as the Worcester hosts had Miguel Passaro net a brace alongside an effort from Mitch Butterworth.

Casey Gormley received two yellow cards for the home side who clinched the points.

“We’re a young side,” added Waldron. “We are mostly 18 and 19 year olds with just one lad over 30 and a couple in their late 20s.

“At that age they’re always learning. It’s a learning curve for us but we’ll get there.

“They’ll pick themselves up and put it right on Saturday (at Warstones Wanderers). They are one of the only teams we haven’t beat since reforming having lost three and drawn once. I expect them to be a good side.”

Ludlow have so far turned over Telford Juniors 4-0 on the opening day before a heavy 5-2 derby defeat at Church Stretton. They got that disappointment out of the system with a fine 4-1 win at Newport Town before a 1-1 draw in the reverse clash at Telford Juniors.

Ludlow are aiming to improve on last season’s sixth-placed finish.