Smith is keen for Market Drayton to kick on and show their old boss
Joint-caretaker boss Dom Smith called on Market Drayton Town’s players to make ex-manager Adam Shillcock and assistant Sam Cartwright regret swapping Drayton for Whitchurch.
The Gingerbread Men returned to winning ways under experienced goalkeeper Smith and secretary Matthew Allen as life without Shillcock, who joined Alport of the division above, continued.
Drayton were 2-1 Greenfields winners over Cammell Laird and target a new management team by tomorrow’s fixture on the road at Sandbach United.
Victory lifted managerless Drayton to third in North West Counties First Division South. Town did it the hard way after Kieran Hamm earned the visitors a fourth-minute lead.
But player of the month Nicky Parker dragged Drayton level by half hour and Nathan Brayford struck the winner just shy of the hour mark.
A bullish Smith said: “It’s a difficult situation, we can’t hide behind it, but we’ve got such a tight-knit group, a good bunch with real leaders in the squad.
“We’ve very much made it our mission to make those people that have left the club regret it at the end of the season, that’s our aim now, to push on and showcase what Market Drayton Football Club is all about.
“We look forward to the new manager coming in and can press on from there.”
The caretaker boss said: “We planned to get at them, after losing 4-1 at their place, we planned to get Greenfields back to the fortress it is so we did not want to let them get comfortable. Lewis Brown at the back was an absolute stalwart, he dealt with everything really well.
“Ryan Taylor did a lot of really good selfless running and Levi (Hunter) coming back into the fold after being out for a while has done extremely well to play 90 minutes. All of the lads were brilliant.”
Drayton progressed to round two of the Edward Case League Cup in stunning fashion after firing back from a 3-1 deficit at home to Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday.
Levi Hunter was the 90th-minute match-winning hero after Parker and Dan Churm had hauled the hosts level. Parker had also earlier opened the scoring.
In the Midland League Premier Division, Shillcock takes his Whitchurch Alport side to AFC Wulfrunians for a mid-table clash, while Shifnal Town will look to claw some ground back on the top side when they visit Atherstone Town.
And in Midland One, AFC Bridgnorth visit Stapenhill, Allscott Heath travel to Chelmsley Town and Shawbury United host OJM Black Country.
