Adders and Coleshill set to battle it out in crucial clash

[Alan Beckett]

Adders and Coleshill set to battle it out in crucial clash
ATHERSTONE Town and Coleshill face a massive six-pointer on Saturday as the battle for survival at the bottom of the Midland Alliance heats up.

Coleshill have been plunged back into the dogfight at the bottom of the table following back-to-back defeats against Rocester and Coventry Sphinx.

Those results have left Coleshill just one point above the Adders who currently lie third from bottom. "It's a massive game for us this weekend, there's no doubt about it," said Coleshill boss Adams.

"We are both in a dogfight at the bottom of the table and we need to battle and scrap for everything now.

"There are just three games left now and, such is the nature of the league, we could either be relegated or finish in mid-table.

"There are still seven teams who could realistically go down and we have to make sure it's not us.

"Atherstone will be up for it too and it's a tough game for us.

"But, because they are a point behind, with a worse goal difference, in some ways the pressure is more on them.

"We can probably afford to draw the game to stay ahead of them in the table, although we will be going into the game to win it, of course."

Adams was left to bemoan yet more inconsistency from his side over Easter.

They produced a disappointing display as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Rocester on Saturday but were much improved as they lost 1-0 to league leaders Coventry Sphinx on Monday.

"We were absolutely dire against Rocester, there are no excuses," said Adams. "It's just so frustrating how we can play that badly one day and then, just over 24 hours later, produce one of our best performances of the season.

"We were excellent against Sphinx and deserved something out of the game. Sadly, the result reads a 1-0 defeat.

"That's the performance that we have to repeat in these last three games if we are going to get out of trouble but I just don't know what I am going to get from my lads."

Influential Sam Wilson misses Saturday's home game with Atherstone due to work commitments but Chris Lloyd returns for the clash.