Another tough test awaits for Haughmond
Haughmond face another stern test tomorrow when they head to Nottinghamshire to face high-flying Newark Flowserve.
It’s the latest in a series of tough fixtures for the Shrewsbury side, promoted last season, in the early weeks of the Midland League Premier Division campaign.
Newark, 8-1 winners over Coventry Sphinx last weekend, are currently fourth in the table.
Boss Dan Williams said: “After tomorrow, that’s the top six played, which is madness really the way the fixtures have fallen, with five of them away from home.
“We haven’t played anyone from seventh to 14th, games that you can see are potentially winnable.
“The potential to pick up points across the next two months is massive. The quality between the top six, I would imagine to be quite a big gap in terms of budgets, so the opportunity’s there and there are teams in and around us to play as well, so we’ll see.”
Williams acknowledges the gap between the level Haughmond were playing at last season and this one is significant, but it’s a challenge he is embracing.
“It’s huge,” he added. “I always knew it was going to be tough, but I had sort of forgot how good the league was two years ago.
“I don’t know if it’s stronger or not, but we have played the top teams. There’s just not a weak link.
“If we play 100 per cent, we can lose games, effectively. If we don’t play 100 per cent, we’ll definitely lose games.
“It’s one of them really, but you’ve just got to enjoy the challenge and not get too downbeat when you do get defeated.
“Hopefully these next two months, we might realise that the league isn’t as strong, that we’ve just been a bit unlucky at the start, and pick up points and kick on, so that’s the plan.”
Haughmond were beaten 5-1 at second-placed Sporting Khalsa in the League Cup on Tuesday night. Steve Hole scored from the penalty spot for the visitors.
