Cock-a-hoop Market Drayton Town head for Witton Albion on Good Friday afternoon bidding to begin their big-match Easter programme with a unique UniBond League South hat-trick.
They’ve completed doubles over promotion-chasing Chasetown and Glapwell in their last two matches – and victory at fifth-placed Witton would make it three in a row for the record books.
“No-one’s taken six points from three clubs in contention for this season’s play-offs, so we aim to set some sort of record” said Town boss Simon Line yesterday.
“We have a happy habit of upsetting the league’s top teams and to achieve that would really set us up for Easter Monday’ big match against leaders Mickleover at Greenfields.”
“They are two really tough matches to have over the Easter break but we are looking forward to them immensely.”
Town will be boosted at Witton by a rare appearance of striker Mark Grice and the return of Jamie Haynes from injury–- though doubts again remain over the fitness of influential Jason Francis, who has nursed a rib injury through recent matches.
Tom Rogers, sent off in the 5-1 fracas against Sheffield FC a fortnight ago, starts a three match suspension on Monday and misses the visit of suddenly-stuttering Mickleover, the only club in the top nine Town have not taken points from.
After a run of 16 straight league wins, Mickleover have lost two of their last three games - the latest, ironically, 2-1 to Witton on Tuesday evening. And while they still lead the table by 11 points, they’ve conceded 24 points in 18 away games, the worst record among the top clubs.
“It looks like we’re playing them at just about the right time in the season,” said Line.
The confidence in Town’s camp, lifted by superb 2-0 performance at Chasetown midweek, hit new heights in Saturday’s 2-1 home victory over Glapwell.
Defensive partners Paul McMullen and Marc Stallard switched from stopping to scoring the goals with cracking shots in the 26th and 46th minutes but, overall, it was another battling team performance that earned the points in an entertaining encounter.
Glapwell substitute Conor Higginson pulled one back for with a spectacular curling drive six minutes after the break and from then on it looked anyone’s game.
Slick passing, quick moving Glapwell produced some fine one-touch play while Town, hit by the loss of winger Stuart Ellis with cramp, demonstrated determination in defence and a canny ability to counter attack dangerously.
Glapwell keeper Andy Richmond made superb flying saves to deny Rogers and Martyn Davies when they were clean through in route one attacks while Steve Taylor, his Drayton counterpart, bravely dived in to sort out three dangerous, hectic scrambles in his six yard box when an equaliser threatened.
“It was thoroughly enjoyable, even if the opposition sometimes had rather more of the ball than we would have liked,” said Line. “Both sides could have scored more but I thought we had slightly the better chances and, overall, deserved to win because we worked that little bit harder and coped with the changing pattern of the game.
“When Stuart Ellis had to go off, we were forced to shuffle things around but the lads adapted well and obviously were delighted with the result. Everyone put in a really good shift… it’s great to see them gradually rekindling the sort of form we saw from them earlier in the season.”
Both Easter holiday fixtures kick off at 3pm.
By Terry Morris
