BROMSGROVE Sporting boss Paul Smith jetted off for a few days break in Tenerife this week after laying down a marker to his assistant Brendan Kelly.

Smith had just masterminded Sporting's punishing 10-0 Midland League Division One win over luckless Pelsall Villa.

But Smith recalled: "The last time I left Brendan in charge, they went and won 13-0 against Ellistown and Ibstock. Brendan's never let me forget that.

"We hadn't got a game scheduled this week when I booked the break, but Brendan will now be in charge for the Worcestershire Senior Urn Final against Premier Division side Highgate United."

Kelly had no option but to ring the changes as Jason Cowley, Reece Hewitt, Liam Spink and Andy Nicol were all cup-tied but Smith expects the quartet to return for Saturday's trip to strugglers Stafford Town's 3G pitch.

Then on Tuesday, Sporting continue their title assault when they travel to challengers Leicester Road.

Saturday's 10 goal pulverizing of Pelsall has taken Sporting's unbeaten run to 30 games and leaves them 10 points clear of their closest challengers with eight games remaining.

Smith added: "We've been threatening to put somebody to the sword recently and it just happened to be Pelsall, but I don't think it really mattered who we played last Saturday because we produced some really good stuff.

"Several of the goals were simply spectacular and it was just Pelsall's misfortune that they caught us on a really good day.

"What makes the result even more impressive was the fact we had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men because I'd used up all the substitutions, but we still managed to score four more goals."

Smith continued: "We've got eight league games remaining and I reckon we need four more wins to make sure of the league title.

"It would be absolutely unbelievable if we could go through the season unbeaten but I'm trying to get the players to put that at the back of their minds at the moment.

"To be honest, I'd quite happily take a defeat if it meant we won the league title.

"But if we could get the title wrapped up within the next four games, then maybe we could look at that."