Spicer stresses the need for total focus

The West Midlands League Premier Division title hopefuls take on a Wem Town side sampling life at this level for the first time in their history.

A look at the league table suggests the fixture is an away banker, but Spicer is well aware of the need to make sure his side are focussed on the job in hand.

“It’s a new side for us to face and we don’t know a lot about them other than what the league table tells us,” said Spicer.

“We dropped points against Dudley, which on paper is a game we should be winning, and also against Wellington last weekend.

“The games against the sides at the top of the table take care of themselves, but it’s these sort of matches where you have to put that extra effort in and make sure complacency doesn’t creep in.

Costly

“We have high expectations and we want to be up there challenging. We dropped points against sides in the bottom half of the league last year and it proved costly.

“We can’t afford to do that this season.”

Spicer will be without the suspended Jake Healey tomorrow, after he was sent off against Wellington, and has fitness doubts surrounding Liam Hughes, Jam Fuller and Lucas Hoff. But he is confident he has the strength in depth to cope.

“We have a few fitness concerns but I have every faith in the squad we have here,” he said,

“We played Studley the other night and made a few changes and we played some great football and won 3-0.

“A few of the lads who played hadn’t had a lot of game time because we have been playing well, but they did well.

“That’s where good recruitment comes in. I am confident that if one player misses out for any reason, then the one who replaces him will come in and do the same job.”

Rangers kick off the clash sitting second behind leaders Tividale, who make the trip to Shropshire to take on Shifnal.

Third-placed Wolverhampton Casuals face a tricky-looking trip to Smethwick Rangers.