A home return as Poppies bid to get back on track

It was way back on December 5 that the Poppies last played a home game in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Cambridge City.

A few postponements and seven away games in a row in all competitions later, Marcus Law’s team are finally set to play at Latimer Park again when they entertain strugglers Paulton Rovers tomorrow (Saturday).

And the target for Law is fairly straightforward: “Get this push for a play-off place back on track.”

After a three-week period of inactivity, the Poppies have returned to action with back-to-back away losses at fellow contenders Weymouth and Hungerford Town, who claimed a 2-1 success last weekend, despite being down to 10 men for the majority of the second half.

But Law isn’t giving up hope on a final push towards the top five, although he knows they must now start winning games.

And, despite Paulton being seven points adrift of safety, he isn’t expecting an easy ride tomorrow either.

The Poppies boss joked: “To be honest, I am struggling to remember where the ground is and what it looks like!

“It’s going to be difficult. Paulton haven’t lost in five and our last two performances in the league haven’t produced the results we wanted.

“We have got to tweak one or two things, which we will and hopefully get this push for a play-off place back on track.

“It will be great to be back at home and get the fans who aren’t able to travel away behind us again.

“I really do believe the fans can help us. They know how to make some noise and if we are to do this and get ourselves back into the shake-up then we all need to be together in it.

“I do feel it’s in our own hands, particularly with the number of home matches we have got to play.

“But we have to start winning matches and get the ball rolling again.”

Law feels his team have “lost momentum” following the run of postponements before the tough return to action.

And he is keen for them to start the game well this weekend, instead of waiting and reacting at certain stages of matches.

“I do feel we have lost momentum, when you don’t play for so long that’s what happens,” he added.

“It’s up to us to make sure we have everything in place to get us up and running properly again and not wait to get started in matches.

“We have to be lively from the off.

“I want us to start brightly and I want to see us getting at the opposition and making things happen.”

There has been further transfer activity at the club this week with striker Courtney Baker-Richardson expected to join league rivals Leamington, who are the visitors to Latimer Park on Tuesday, following a seven-day approach from the Brakes.

However, Spencer Weir-Daley is in line to make his debut after the Corby Town frontman joined the Poppies on loan for the rest of the season.