MANAGER Paul Smith says Bromsgrove Sporting will have a ‘score to settle’ when they take on Uttoxeter Town in the quarter finals of the Les James Challenge Cup.
Tomorrow’s (Saturday) opponents were the last side to defeat the Rouslers in Midland Football League Division One and Smith’s men could only manage a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.
Although Sporting have been on a 15-match unbeaten run since their 3-2 loss at the Victoria Ground in September, Smith admitted that result still rankled with him.
And he insisted his players would be going all out to finally end their sorry run against Uttoxeter and move a closer to a trip to the Bescot Stadium, where the final will be staged.
“I am not sure of their form, but all I know is that since I have been at the club they have taken four points from six,” Smith said.
“They beat us at our place which was my only league defeat in four and a half month since I have been at Bromsgrove.
“Although I wasn’t there as I was on holiday in Spain at the time, so one of my assistants took it, it is still under my tenure and then we went over to their place and drew 1-1.
“They are unbeaten against, so not only do we have a score to settle but it is a huge quarter final in its own right with the final being played at the Bescot Stadium.
“We are the highest placed clubs left in the competition, so it is the pick of the quarter finals and we need to make sure we come out on top.”
Sporting beat Alvechurch 4-0 in a friendly last Saturday and Smith said this was important to keep his players’ fitness levels high after their league clash against Stafford Town was called off.
“The issue we have had recently is that I like to train twice a week and with the why the weather has been in recent weeks we have not been able to get on to the pitch and train,” he said.
“So it was very important that if our game was off on Saturday we got something sort. Luckily I am very good friends with the Alvechurch manager Lee Knight and we had pre-arranged something if both games were off so we managed to get a game on.
“And it did exactly what it said on the tin as it got minutes under players’ belts and as we had a good training session last night we should be ready and raring to go for Saturday.”
