BROMSGROVE Sporting boss Paul Smith believes he will not have to say much to his players to get them up for their local derby against Cadbury Athletic tomorrow (Saturday).
The Rouslers will take to the field at the Victoria Ground on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Littleton in the first round of the Smedley Crooke Memorial Cup.
As well as ending their defence of the title, it was Sporting’s first loss since they were knocked out of the FA Vase by Thurnby Nirvana in December.
Smith said he was not “overly disappointed” to no longer be in the Smedley Cup as he sets his sights on securing promotion from Midland Football League Division One this season.
But the Bromsgrove boss hopes his players can use it as further motivation to bounce back and beat local rivals Cadbury.
“If someone had said to me when I took over that I was going to lose one league game in five months and I was going to have a good run in the FA Cup and FA Vase, but we were going to get knocked out in the first round of the Smedley Cup I would have snapped their hand off,” he said.
“It is disappointing, but there are bigger prizes at the end of the road for us, so we have to get it out of our heads and move on to Saturday, which is huge.
“Cadbury will be one of the toughest tests we have had to date. But we will work hard in training and make sure we are prepared for it.
“Just looking at the table shows we are still right in the mix to win the league, so I won’t have to tell the players much to inspire them on Saturday.
“I am sure they will be really up for it, especially as it is a local derby.”
Bromsgrove will also be boosted by the return of Joszef Jakab, Ryan Mahon and Jack Wilson who were rested for Sporting’s match against Littleton.
