CUP SUCCESS HAS TO BE START OF SEASON, INSISTS BOSS BANIM
STAFFORD Rangers manager Jody Banim says their midweek FA Cup heroics must be a watershed moment in their season.
Boro caused an upset by beating National League North side Hereford 3-1 at Marston Road to book their place in the fourthqualifying round.
That has left them just one win away from potentially meeting a Football League team in the first round. They will now play North West Counties League side Skelmersdale United at home a week on Saturday.
And their cup form - which has seen them win three ties - is in stark contrast to matters in the league.
Banim, who was appointed in the summer, finds Stafford secondfrom-bottom of the Northern Premier League top flight with three defeats from their four outings and just a solitary point to their name.
But the Boro boss insists that his players’ performance in toppling Hereford proves that they have what it takes to clamber up the league standings.
“I thought we thoroughly deserved the win and the scoreline didn’t flatter us at all,” he told the club’s website.
“We set up with a different shape, and in the first 20 minutes Hereford dominated. We switched systems at that point and it worked a treat for us.
“We grew in to the game and in the second half we were magnificent. Hereford barely got out of their half.
“We’ve made their keeper make plenty of saves and scored three really good goals.
“So far this season we’ve had bad luck or a lack of quality around the opposition’s box. They are small margins, but we are never out of games.
“Our decision-making - when to turn teams and when to play short and through - was far better against Hereford. Maybe we have seen the start of our season.
“The lads have hit a level now and they can’t dip below that.
“We’ve now got to get the league season up and running and start getting up the table.”
Banim takes his side to FC United of Manchester tomorrow looking to put that first league win on the board.
And central to their chances will be in-form forward Joe Cuff, who scored twice in the midweek cup triumph.
“Joe Cuff can be anything he wants to be,” added Banim. “He’s got everything you need in a modern-day footballer - he’s got height, physicality, he’s quick and strong.
“He needs to bring end product to his game, and if he does that, we’re going to struggle to keep hold of him.
“We’ve given him opportunities and he just needs to step up a level. If he does that, we’re going to have a cracking player on our hands.”
NANTWICH TOWN were knocked out of the FA Cup by Marine in midweek - and manager Dave Cooke, left, is taking his squad to the seaside to recover.
It’s not leisure, but points, which will be on Cooke’s mind as the Dabbers attempt to keep up their fine league form with another haul at Scarborough.
Nantwich lost 4-1 in midweek to end their cup adventure, but that is the only disappointment from a promising start.
The Dabbers haver won two and drawn one of their opening three Premier Division matches to sit in sixth place in the early standings.
They are five points off top spot, but do haver two games in hand on leaders Warrington Town.
Tomorrow’s match will be Scarborough’s first home league encounter of the season.
They have played five matches - sitting one place below Nantwich - but all of them have been away from home.