Badgers look for stabilityKnapper Believes Game will Be Six Pointer

[FF News]

Retford United have held an emergency meeting this week in their first steps to stabilise the club after a dramatic few days at the Jones

Rainworth Miners Welfare's joint manager John Knapper believes Saturday's long trip to Market Drayton Town will go along way towards deciding their EVO-STIK Northern Premier League fate,

Knapper,, offered his views on the First Division South relegation dogfight after the Wrens' 2-0 defeat at in-form Spalding United on Saturday and Drayton's away victory at Romulus.

He said: "We've got to bounce back from our last two defeats by sides in the play-off places. Last Saturday at Spalding was difficult for us, and although there was not a lot between the clubs in a hard-fought game, they got a goal early in the second half which gave them a bit of momentum, and they added a second right at the end.

"But we had our chances too, and 2-0 didn't really reflect the closeness of the game. We have some exciting young players in the side, but they couldn't play their brand of football on a bumpy pitch - not many teams would be able to on that surface - but Spalding played to the conditions. It's their pitch and they know how to play it.

"So now we've got to go to Market Drayton and try to get the win. It's potentially a season-defining game, but the lads will be well motivated for it."

Neither has Knapper forgotten his first games in joint charge of Rainworth which were both against Drayton in the FA Trophy. In the first tie in Shropshire, a highly contentious refereeing decision gave the home side a very late penalty from which they equalised to force a 2-2 draw. They capitalised on their good fortune by winning the replay at Rainworth fairly comfortably.

Only three of the Rainworth side from those games are still with the club and Knapper and joint boss Ian Robinson are expecting their side to carry the game to their hosts with so much at stake.

Knapper added: "We are also aware of Market Drayton and Kidsgrove breathing down our necks, but we can only do what we can do, and not rely on them slipping up."

 

Source Dave Watters

 

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