Pressure on Dolly Blues as they look to get season on track with win over Stafford Rangers

The Dolly Blues were surprisingly beaten 2-0 by Gainsborough Trinity at home on Saturday.

The result means City have only won one of their last seven league games after winning their previous four on the spin.

Fell was looking for the match at the weekend and this evening’s encounter as an opportunity to put six points on the board, which would put them right in the NPL Premier Division play-off picture. However, the defeat to Trinity has placed even more importance on this evening’s fixture.

“It is easy for me to say that we played badly on Saturday, but we have actually played all right,” Fell said.

“We have been in Gainsborough’s half, smothered them for most of the game but the key moments in the game – we haven’t been good enough in either box.

“We weren’t really good enough from an attacking perspective and didn’t put any real quality into the box.

“We haven’t managed two situations in the game which have ultimately cost us. The question now is we are not beating the top sides, we are not beating the sides who are two-thirds of the way down the table, so we need to change that.

“These two games were, in my mind, an opportunity for us to get six points, secure ourselves in the play-offs and then go from there.

“It does add pressure but the lads have got to roll their sleeves up.

“My way of dealing with the pressure for tonight is to work harder.

“We will be doing everything we can to understand who we are playing and give the lads all the tools they need so that when they cross that white line, they are confident that they will be able to do the job.”

Elsewhere, Bamber Bridge – who were without a game on Saturday – travel to the North East to take on South Shields.

The Mariners sit in second spot in the table on the same number of points as leaders Matlock Town, although they were held to a 0-0 draw by Nantwich Town on Saturday.

Brig remain in a play-off position and will be looking to pick up their fifth away win of the season.

In the NWCFL Premier Division, Longridge Town will be looking to get back to winning ways when they face Ashton Athletic away this evening.

Lee Ashcroft’s men could only draw 0-0 with Wythenshawe Town on Saturday after losing 4-1 at Squires Gates in midweek.

Burscough have had an inconsistent start to the campaign, winning five and losing five of their first 12 games. This evening, they are at home to Skelmersdale United.

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