Dudley's Tong Gore wants guts and glory on derby day

Sports host high-flying West Midlands Premier Division rivals Dudley Town tomorrow, looking to bounce back from two defensive horror shows

Gore has seen his side ship seven goals in each of their last two outings – against Shifnal in the League Cup and Lichfield City in the JW Hunt Cup.

A number of new signings have arrived recently to freshen up the squad, with the latest, centre-half Jordan Ambris, set to make his debut tomorrow after checking in from Bilston Town.

But as well as new faces, Gore has made it clear he wants to see a change in attitude.

“We have made a few signings and we are looking to make some more because the squad needs improving,” said Gore. “We have got to strengthen and add a little bit of steel.

“We are very naive at the moment and we are giving poor goals away.

“We have lost both of our last two games 7-0 and out of those 14 goals, 10 or 11 of them could have been avoided by doing the basics right – stopping a cross, making a challenge, clearing the ball.

“On our day we know we can compete with most sides in this division and we have picked up some good results against some good sides.

“But ability alone won’t win you football matches, you have to put a shift in and work hard as well. At the moment we are not working hard enough to win games.

“We have got to show more guts and determination and have a better attitude than we have shown in recent weeks.”

In contrast to how Sports have started the campaign, Town are flying high in fourth place under new boss Matty Lovatt.

“Dudley Town are doing really well,” said Gore. “They had a decent run in the Vase and they are fourth in the table. That’s a good achievement and it will be another tough game.”

Bilston Town will be hoping to do what no other side has managed so far this season, stop Shifnal taking all three points.

The Steelmen have picked up two impressive away wins at Pershore and Shawbury under new boss Wayne Spicer, and will be up for the challenge when the leaders roll into Town with a perfect record of 11 wins from 11 games.

Cradley Town host Shawbury hoping to register a much-needed second league success of the season, while Black Country Rangers could climb into the top six with victory at Pershore.

We don’t help ourselves and we are not giving ourselves a chance because our last few games have been over by half-time.

We have got to stop doing it or we won’t win football matches.

It’s still early in the season and I don’t want to be fighting relegation.

The players have got to learn and learn quickly because we keep making the same mistakes.

It’s that old saying, one week are like Juventus, the next week we are Fraybentos.

Keep working hard till we get it right. But it is damned hard work without a budget.