Toolstation Cribbs boss delighted with his side’s start ahead of tough test
ENCOURAGED boss Richard Luffman believes next opponents Plymouth Parkway will likely prove an unstoppable force this season – but backs his Cribbs battlers to make a fist of their Toolstation Premier Division collision in Devon tomorrow.
Cribbs looked dead and buried 2-0 down late into Tuesday night’s home clash with Clevedon Town until Dan Dyke’s 85th-minute header, and Matthew Spiller’s injury-time screamer, rescued a point to make it five unbeaten league and FA Cup outings.
That fightback made for a splendid 35th birthday present for April appointment Luffman in the knowledge even sterner challenges confront his on-song charges in Plymouth tomorrow.
“We even had a chance to win it with the last kick of the game on Tuesday night but how can I complain after the boys showed such a never-say-die spirit to maintain an unbeaten start?” said the successful former leader of 2019-20 Wessex Premier table-toppers Alresford Town.
“What made it all the more remarkable is we ended up with seven defenders on the pitch as all three of our central midfielders, Jake Hodgson, Akibodin Akiwumi and Jack McKenna, came off injured.”
Luffman, whose men then travel to face Isthmian League South East Division outfit Chichester City in west Sussex for an FA Cup first round qualifier on Tuesday night, said: “I’m really enjoying it here; it’s a lovely club with good people.
We’re trying to instil a winning mentality, just as we had at Alresford, and the character the boys demonstrated against Clevedon shows that quality is developing nicely.
“True success won’t happen overnight but we’re ahead of schedule in terms of where I thought we’d be now. We don’t have the riches some clubs enjoy but the Southern League has to be the long-term goal for us.
“We’ll not win the league this year; it’s just too strong. Plymouth are hot favourites and have to win it with the money they’ve spent.
“But we have enough good players to pose them problems on Saturday if they’re off it and we’re at it,” insisted Luffman, who has pledged to give Sam Oakley a first start, having snapped up fellow midfielder, University of Bristol student Ed Harrison, on a dual registration deal with SW Peninsula club Camelford.
Skipper Hodgson (knee) and McKenna (hamstring) are sidelined, while Akiwumi (knee) faces a fitness check.
Brislington boss Lee Perks is hearted by his team’s form in the Premier so far – but hasn’t been so enamoured at outbreaks of “ill-discipline” by his men.
“We had our ‘keeper George
Dorrington sin-binned at the award of a Bradford Town penalty recently and another, Ruben Draper, was sin-binned in the goalless draw with Hallen when our central midfielder Kris Miller was sent off for two bookings, leaving us down to nine men for a bit,” he said.
“I am a bit concerned referees aren’t up to the usual standard generally at the moment, but I am also frustrated that ill-discipline on our part is in danger of costing us points. Sin-bins are issued for dissent and our lads just shouldn’t react to things in the way they sometimes do.”
Danny Barwood’s late header ensured Bris a 4-3 home victory against Bradford Town on a dramatic opening afternoon, although their 2-0 defeat by visiting Cadbury Heath four nights prior in the FA Cup was a disappointment, not helped by Barwood’s 43rd-minute dismissal for a professional foul.
Bris followed up last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Hallen with Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat of Westbury United, courtesy of Miller’s sizzling first-time strike at the death.
“It was a massive win for us,” said Perks, “after a hard-fought game involving two evenly-matched sides. It’s been a tough start for us, so I’m delighted to have seven points on the board.
“I’m happy with the squad and hoping for a positive season,” added Perks, who is without suspended Miller, Reeko Best and Ashley Bernard for tomorrow’s FA Vase opener at Odd Down when James Peart, Mason Dagger and Frank Gingell are expected to return.
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Portishead Town manager Eamonn Daly wants to see more of the tenacious team which produced splendid victories over Sherborne Town (2-0 away) and Cheddar (3-0 home) in their opening First Division appearances of 202021 than the chastened side that took a 2-1 tumble at home to Welton Rovers on Saturday.
“We stuck to our game-plan so well against a strong Sherborne outfit,” said Daly, “and then showed tremendous work-rate and focus throughout to beat Cheddar.
“Unfortunately, our concentration levels just weren’t there against Welton and we paid the price. Maybe our lads had started to believe their own hype.
“Welton are an unrecognisable side from last year, and as a strong, physical outfit they just dragged us into a scrappy game of football and beat us with a last-minute goal.
“Nonetheless we prepared well for all this after a positive pre-season when we brought in a lot of new players. And our sponsors, Jones Building Group, have been brilliant with the refurbishments around our club which can only help make us bigger and stronger.”
Portishead now joust with unbeaten SW Peninsula East competitor Ilfracombe Town in North Devon tomorrow for an FA Vase first round qualifier.
“We’ll enjoy the day but the league is our main focus and we can do well if we play like we did in our first two games,” Daly urged.
Unbeaten Hellenic Division One West team Thornbury Town are in FA Vase action too, at Division One East equivalents Abingdon Town, while Tytherington Rocks visit Hellenic Premier Longlevens for their opening tie.
We don’t have the riches some clubs enjoy but the Southern League has to be the long-term goal for us