FAIRFIELD Villa boss Phil Oakes believes a victory over local rivals and fellow strugglers Feckenham tomorrow (Saturday) could kick-start his side’s season.
The Bromsgrove outfit find themselves in the bottom two in Midland Football League Division Two following six defeats in eight games and are currently on a five match losing streak.
Oakes admitted his players were suffering with a lack of confidence, but he insisted camaraderie remained strong at the Recreation Ground.
And with Feckenham sitting one place above them in the table, Fairfield’s general manager said they were determined to end their poor run of form.
“This weekend is massive as we are desperate for three points to kick the season on,” he said.
“In the ten or 11 seasons I have been here I don’t think I can ever remember losing five games on the trot and only scoring one goal.
“We are used to being in the top three or four, so we are in an unfamiliar position and it has been an eye opener for us all.
“As a team the togetherness and the camaraderie and all the things you need from a team are there, but we are just not getting the right results.
“We have just got to find a way of being stronger and tougher as a unit to pull through, but there is no animosity or disaster within the squad.
“They are all pushing for the same goal and we need to win to boost our confidence.”
Goals were crucial to Fairfield’s third place finish last season as they netted 83 times – making them the second highest scorers in the league behind title winners Coventry United.
Since this campaign got underway, however, James Finn’s strike against Chelmsley Town last Saturday was only their ninth and Oakes said the club were still working to bring in a striker.
“We have got Ellis (Blakemore) and Dan (Wilkes) back and I have brought in a young lad, called James Lennox-Gordon. who is very good prospect,” Oakes said.
“I have got high hopes for him, so he will be involved in the squad on Saturday and I am still looking to try and strengthen the goals department as that’s our biggest worry.
“If we get goals, then we don’t have to continually defend and defend and hope that we just nick a goal somewhere.
“You have got to put goals on the board and that’s what we have been lacking.
“With Ellis and Dan back we are a bit more creative, but we are just struggling to put the ball away now.”
