Midland Alliance

ALVECHURCH head to Buxton for a crucial FA Vase clash this weekend with manager Shaun Cunnington hoping to have skipper Keith Rostill back ... in attack!

The Lye Meadow boss was forced to field his star striker in goal on Saturday, something which Cunnington knows is unacceptable.

"I had a phone call from our regular keeper at around 12 noon saying he could not make the game because of an illness in the family," the manager explained.

"The youth team keeper was not available so we had to put Keith in goal. He has had a bit of experience playing there but it is not acceptable to be playing your star striker as a goalkeeper."

Robert Gregory scored the Church goal in their 2-1 defeat at Biddulph Victoria but the home side had already netted twice on their way to recording their first home league win of the campaign.

"We had enough chances to win the game but it wasn't to be," Cunnington added.

"I am now looking to bring in some new players and I have one or two options I will be pursuing this week."

n Studley manager Kevin Rowlands has pin-pointed Saturday's match at Causeway United as a 'must win' game.

"We need to string two or three wins together at the moment," he said. "We have produced some good performances but the result is the vital thing on Saturday, it is a must win game."

The Bees lost 2-0 at home to promotion hopefuls Malvern Town at the weekend but Rowlands was pleased with his side's performance.

"They scored an early goal but we then settled down and opened them up," the manager added.

"We were creating opportunities ranging from half chances to sitters and we should have scored.

"We will play a lot worse than that and come away with three points."

The Bees travel to Hednesford Town on Monday in the third round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.

But Rowlands admits he is more interested in league points than a cup run.

"Saturday's game is far more important to us. Cup games are just opportunities for players to go out and enjoy themselves - there is no pressure on us in these games."