FA VASE: Love lusts for Lady Luck (From Swindon Advertiser)

FA VASE: Love lusts for Lady Luck

6:10am Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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MARK Love hopes his Shrivenham side will get a lucky break when they take time out from a difficult start to the season to play Potton United in the FA Vase first qualifying round tomorrow.

Shrivvy have lost five of their first six matches in the league, the majority of which have come by narrow margins, and Love believes his team have not had the favour of the footballing gods during that run.

But with the Vase acting as a timely interlude from the early stresses of their Hellenic Premier Division campaign, the Shrivenham boss is optimistic a few wrongs can be put right this weekend.

“It has been a tough start for us, and it has been the thinnest of lines between winning and losing,” said Love.

“Lady Luck has not been on our side so far, and every little mistake that we have made has been punished.

“We’re playing well but it’s not quite been going our way, but this weekend is a nice chance to turn things around.

“I know this group of players have it in them to be winning games, and it will come sooner or later.”

A lack of cutting edge in the final third has plagued many of Shrivvy’s performances thus far, with Love’s forward line managing just four goals, whilst the defence has conceded 14.

But the Rec chief said the atmosphere within the camp remained positive, and with a sprinkle of good fortune here and there, his outfit can kick-start their season tomorrow against an opposition from a level below.

“We don’t know much about Potton, but they are a Step Six club so we are expected to beat them,” he said.

“We need to be more clinical in front of goal, but that will come and when it does winning will become a habit.

“This week is a big one for us, with the Vase game and then Pegasus in the league, who haven’t been doing so well either recently.

“The squad is fully fit, we’re training well and the team spirit is good.

“It has been disappointing to have had the results that we’ve had at the start of the season, but I’m happy with the squad and the way they’ve been playing, and there’s no reason why we can’t turn it around soon.”

MALMESBURY Victoria manager Ken Turner is thoroughly looking forward to this weekend’s FA Vase Cup qualifying game against Kidlington of the Hellenic Premier.

With Mark Barnes the only absentee due to a recurrence of a leg injury, Turner has an almost full-strength squad to choose from.

He said: “The lads should be up for it, they’re in high spirits and looking forward to the game.”

Although Turner admits that the league is his priority this season, he explained that he wanted the team to do well in all games, and was relishing the prospect of playing against higher-calibre teams.

Following last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to Clanfield, Turner said he would be making a few changes to the first team but was not willing to disclose his line-up.