MIDLAND LEAGUE 1: THE EASTER RELEGATION BATTLE PREVIEW...

MIDLAND LEAGUE DIVISION 1: 

PREVIEW OF A RELEGATION BATTLE OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND… 

Southam have already sunk to relegation from this division but there is a fascinating situation unfolding between six other teams, from 14th placed Heath Hayes down to Pelsall Villa in 19th position, whereby any one of them could get dragged into the second relegation spot.

Each of the six teams is featured below, listing their current league form, their record for the season and of course a round-up of their Easter weekend matches. It appears that two teams from the six, Chelmsley Town and PershoreTown probably face the most difficult games, with Pershore particularly up against it……

HEATH HAYES have 37 points and surely will consider themselves fairly safe at this point, with 10 wins from 34 matches. The goal difference is -6 which compares favourably with the teams struggling below them. Of their 57 league goals, JOE HARTSHORNE has netted 11 and I saw them draw 2-2 at Studley recently, although the late equaliser they conceded was contentious… 

HEATH HAYES SCORE AT STUDLEY...

Their last 5 league games have all been at home, losing 0-2 three times to Stafford Town and Chelmsley Town (significantly) then Cadbury Athletic, whilst drawing 1-1 with Littleton and beating the doomed Southam Saints 4-0. 

SOUTHAM: ALREADY GONE...

Their Easter games are at Littleton and then at home to Uttoxeter but points are still needed for a team in rather poor form, especially considering that only 4 points from 15 have been won from 5 consecutive home matches…

STUDLEY'S LATE EQUALISER v HEATH HAYES...

15th placed STUDLEY have 35 points with 10 wins from 34 matches but their goal difference is -30 and the team has conceded an average of 2.7 goals per game. GARETH EVANS has notched 20 of the 63 league goals scored but in truth they were a trifle fortunate to snatch a point at the death at home to Heath Hayes recently.

STUDLEY, AFTER OPENING THE SCORING v HEATH HAYES...

Their recent form has brought in 10 points from 15, with 3 wins from 3 on the road at Bolehall Swifts (2-1), Pelsall Villa (4-2) and Lichfield City (3-0) but the home matches brought only a draw v Hinckley AFC (1-1) and a defeat last time out to Uttoxeter (1-3).

Over the Easter period Studley have the daunting task of preventing Bromsgrove Sporting from winning the league title on Saturday at the Victoria Ground, before Chelmsley Town visit the Beehive on Monday… 

16th placed PERSHORE TOWN have acquired 33 points from their 34 matches, winning 9 and scoring the lowest total of goals of the ‘suffering six’ clubs near the bottom of the division. Just 44 goals have been netted, 18 of which have been scored by JAMIE CLARKE, who snaffled 2 recently in a shocking 3-2 home win against high-flying Leicester Road, which I witnessed. 

MATTY STENSON CAN'T BELIEVE LEICESTER ROAD HAVE LOST AT PERSHORE...

Their recent form is erratic, for after failing to beat Uttoxeter at home (0-0) and then losing on their own patch to Hinckley AFC (1-2), two victories eased the pressure slightly, 0-4 at Southam United (inevitably) and 3-2 v Leicester Road but despite deserving more at Littleton, the team succumbed to a single goal by the hosts.

LITTLETON CELEBRATE THEIR WINNER v PERSHORE...

Their Easter diary is not good: away at revenge-seeking 3rd placed Leicester Road and then at home to the still unbeaten Bromsgrove Rouslers… I saw Bromsgrove stifle Leicester on Tuesday but win deservedly (0-1) and Pershore will be wondering just how they will deal with the prolific Jason Cowley…

JAMIE CLARKE, RIGHT: PERSHORE'S LEADING SCORER...

17th placed STAFFORD TOWN have 8 wins and 32 points from their 34 matches, conceding 74 goals and scoring 60, leaving them with a reasonable goal difference of -14, if compared to those of Pershore, Studley and indeed Pelsall Villa. RYAN PACE has found the net 10 times for the group.

Recent form has been inconsistent, for following a draw at home with Nuneaton Griff (2-2), Town beat Lichfield City 4-1 and won 2-0 at Heath Hayes, before slumping to Pershore’s two Easter opponents, Leicester Road (2-6) and Bromsgrove (0-4), both at home. 

BROMSGROVE CELEBRATE EDWARDS' WINNING GOAL AT LEICESTER ROAD ON TUESDAY...

Over the holiday weekend, Stafford travel to play Cadbury Athletic and then they play Bolehall Swifts at home, but intriguingly, their NEXT match after that, on the 22nd April, is on the road at PERSHORE… Could be interesting…

In 18th place, CHELMSLEY TOWN have amassed 31 points from their 33 matches, winning just 8 but crucially they have a game in hand over the other strugglers. Their goal difference is -13 though, better than all the battlers bar Heath Hayes. They have netted 54 times, 10 of which are credited to top scorer GARY TURNER.

A 2-2 draw at Pershore was followed recently by a loss at home to Atherstone Town (0-5) and a goal-less draw at Pelsall, before a 2-0 win at Heath Hayes restored hope but last week Heather St John won 2-1 on Town’s home pitch.

Their Easter games are both on the road, at second placed Hinckley AFC and then at fellow strugglers Studley, whose away form is better than their home form… A tough weekend for Chelmsley though, certainly.

Finally PELSALL VILLA, 19th place and thus bottom but one in the division with 8 wins from 34 matches and 19 losses; they have scored 48 goals but have conceded more than 2 goals per game on average, 84 in total for a goal difference of -36, the worst of the worried teams near the basement. 3 players, OSIRIS ROBERTSON, NATHAN STONE & RYAN WILKINS have scored 8 goals each, half the team’s total of goals… 

Recent form? A 0-0 draw at Chelmsley was followed by 3 defeats: 2-4 v Studley, 1-2 at Littleton and 0-10 at Bromsgrove, before a 4-1 home win v Bolehall Swifts brought renewed hope for Villa.

Their Easter schedule does not make for pleasant reading either, for they travel to Atherstone on Saturday, then host free-scoring Hinckley AFC on Monday. 

PERSHORE'S REECE JACOBS: FRUSTRATED AT LITTLETON...

The relegation issue will certainly drag on for all six teams but in truth it does appear that despite Pelsall’s win last time out, they and Chelmsley have a tough weekend ahead but Pershore look to be the fall-guys if things go well for the other two teams. Leicester Road were unhappy at conceding a late penalty at Pershore recently and will be scowling for revenge and in all honesty, Bromsgrove, unless they clinch the title v Studley on Saturday and hangovers are rife, will not want to make a blemish on their outstanding record by losing at St George’s. If Stafford mess up though, the Pershore away game on April 22nd could be crucial for them…

PERSHORE WIN THEIR PENALTY v LEICESTER ROAD...

Southam’s goal difference by the way is currently -162… 

Thought I’d mention that. It’s what I do…

Coverage of the Pershore’s next three games will be at themowdog.blogspot.co.uk but on the 29th April, I will cover Liskeard’s match v Wadebridge Town in Cornwall… 

Don’t ask.

The Mowdog…