An eight-goal midweek blast at Biddulph has fired up Market Drayton Town to take tomorrow’s vital FA Cup task at Borrowash Victoria by storm.
“Two games, six points, nine goals for with one against... no wonder the lads are really up for it,” chortled manager Simon Line yesterday.
“If that wasn’t enough, they’ve got what promises to be a great local derby coming up against Bridgnorth at Greenfields on Tuesday.”
Borrowash had people checking on Town at Biddulph on Tuesday night.
They left without making their views known – but Town’s tearaway 8-1 win must have sent shivers of apprehension down their spines.
Amazingly, there was only one goal in the first half, a stunning shot by Jason Francis into the top corner.
Two more in the five minutes after the break, from Tom Rogers and Wayne Edwards, brought an immediate reply from Biddulph to make it 3-1 and raise hopes of a comeback.
For about five minutes, Town, as they demonstrated last season, are a side capable of finding not just an extra gear but a whole new gearbox – and supercharged engine too.
Five more goals flowed from Rogers, Grant Goodhead, Paul McMullen, sub Bobby Spooner and a shell-shocked defender who put through his own net.
It was super stuff – a startling contrast to Saturday’s opener at Greenfields, when Town had 70 per cent of the possession but couldn’t score until the 84th minute through McMullen.
“We had some players missing and it was hard to get past them but we did pretty well in the end,” the manager said.
A final thought for the Derbyshire-based Borrowash Victoria scouting team.
If they needed anything more to worry about, they should check out Town’s holiday list.
Nicky Porter, arguably Drayton’s best attacker and Paul Bowyer, certainly their most pugnacious defender, are back from breaks for selection tomorrow.
