Villa aim for cup joy — at long last (From Droitwich Advertiser)

Villa aim for cup joy — at long last

3:00pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in Local

FAIRFIELD Villa are hoping to finally conclude their Worcestershire FA Junior Cup saga with Badsey Rangers this weekend.

Villa saw their clash at Rangers called off for a second week in a row because of a waterlogged pitch.

A last minute attempt to switch the match to Fairfield’s temporary home at Earlsdon also failed because the playing surface had been watered.

But with the county competition taking precedence over the Midland Combination Division One, Fairfield want to play the match.

Joint-manager Paul Oakes said: “We cannot play in the league until we get this game out of the way.

“Unfortunately, the Badsey pitch had one goal under water and the surface at Earlsdon had been watered.

“But it will have to go ahead, even if doesn’t happen at Badsey — the match will be moved to us.

“This is a competition we want to win and one that is opening up.”

Bromsgrove Sporting’s reserves booked their place in the semi-finals of the competition by seeing off Wyre Forest 1-0.

Meanwhile, Villa find themselves second in the table behind Cadbury Athletic but only trail the leaders by two points.

However, Villa’s biggest rivals for the title are fifth-placed Alvis, who games in hand over the top four.

Fairfield have lost the services of striker Brendan Hicks, who joined Evesham United last week after the Robins put in a seven-day approach.

Villa hope to draft in hitman JJ Evans as a replacement after putting in a seven-day approach for the Bromsgrove Sporting hitman, although he will not be eligible for Saturday’s cup clash.

Steve McGlenn and James Cund are both injury doubts for the Badsey clash.