Alcester Town's skipper Danny Janes writes about the recent matches v Coventry Plumbing and AFC Solihull, also about the current League 3 situation...
"Looking back, the draw with Coventry Plumbing on Tuesday was a very good point. We knew before the game that we couldn't afford to lose but a point would still be a good result. Of course our mind-set was to win the game and the management team ensured that we approached the game in that way.
On reflection, I felt we were lucky to get the point. Coventry Plumbing had some very good chances and our goalkeeper Luis Sone was outstanding on the night. I have to praise the away side, especially as it was a mid-week fixture and with the early kick-off it can be difficult, but they travelled over and potentially deserved more from the game.
However, we showed fantastic character to not only come back from 2-0 down but to do it with 10 men. I also felt that if we had played 5 more minutes we would have won the game as we were completely on top but I am sure Coventry Plumbing felt like they had done enough over the course of the match.
People say it is a sign of a good team which doesn't perform at its best but still picks up points and although we definitely weren't at our best, we were resilient. I felt we were the better side in terms of overall play, but Plumbing had the better chances and should have killed the game off.
The result on Saturday was massive for us, for it now puts us in the driving seat and the title is now in our hands. It has been a great week for the team, for 7 points from a possible 9 against Inkberrow, Plumbing and Solihull has been a great return.
In terms of the actual game, we found it a very frustrating first-half as they were so difficult to break down. The manager warned us before the game that they would get men behind the ball and look to play direct and they did exactly that. We are a possession-based team and our home pitch can undermine us at times, as it is so bobbly on there and so it can be a bit of a leveller at times and the pitch definitely suited their style of play. We knew we had to be patient and show a bit more quality in the final third. During the second-half we did that and I felt we dominated the game.
I think the most pleasing aspect about the game was the character and composure we showed. We never panicked, even though we were desperate to win the game; we stuck to the task and kept plugging away until we got the breakthrough. The game showed that we can handle the pressure, as teams seem to shut up shop against us at the moment which can make games difficult mentally, but we keep responding.
I really believe that every player has played a massive part in our great run. There are a few players who maybe haven't played as much as they would have liked, but we need strength in depth and it gives the side confidence knowing we have quality on the bench in order to change games. I have been particularly impressed with Luis Sone and Tez Morton. Luis is the best goalkeeper in the league in my opinion, he gives the defence so much confidence which is evidenced in our goals against record. Tez has also produced some strong performances, he is so comfortable on the ball and allows us to play through the thirds.
I said it before I re-joined the club, I think we will win the league because of the squad the management team has assembled. We had a mountain to climb but I knew we had the quality to keep ticking off wins and it is now down to us to deliver in the final few games. Second is tough to call but I am going to go with Solihull because of the number of games Plumbing need to play. I feel sorry for Plumbing because we had a similar schedule last year and it really impacted on our final league position. However, I think it will be very close!
We have some very, very tough games left and I genuinely mean that. People say we are not playing the teams at the top so it should be straightforward, but Enville have beaten us this season in a semi-final and we have to play them twice. Bartestree away is always difficult, as well as Coventrians at their place. Those teams will want to spoil the party and cause an upset, for teams will want to stop the run that we are on. It is all about us from this point, it is down to the players to produce the performances required and to get this club out of this division..."
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