MANAGER Paul Smith says he is going to need every single one of his 19-man squad as Bromsgrove Sporting enter the ‘business end’ of the Midland League Premier Division campaign.
The Rouslers currently sit second in the table in their debut season at Step Five and are one point behind league leaders Coleshill Town with a game in hand.
With the battle for promotion heating up, Smith told the Standard squad rotation will be key and revealed all the players are buying into that system.
Four changes were made to the team which beat Stourport Swifts 3-1 last Saturday while five changes were made in Tuesday night’s Birmingham Senior Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to National League North outfit Nuneaton Town.
Drew Canavan, Reece Hewitt, Sam Wills, Richard Gregory, Wade Malley and Robbie Bunn were also rested for the cup clash which ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, before Nuneaton prevailed 4-2 on spot-kicks.
John Pykett, currently in Australia, was also missing.
“Even though we had seven missing for Tuesday night we still put out a very strong squad,” said Smith.
“We had three lads who did not travel on Saturday, three on Tuesday and another three will miss out this weekend too but all the players are buying into what I am doing here without any problems.
“The players deserve huge credit for that and I am going to need every single one of them as we enter the business end of the season.
“We will rotate as much as we can.”
Sporting will look to keep up their flying league form tomorrow (Saturday) when they make the trip to Haughmond.
The fourth-from-bottom Shropshire side have won their last two league games – a 2-1 victory over Rocester on Saturday followed up with a 2-1 success at Boldmere St Michaels on Tuesday – and Smith has stressed Sporting will not take them lightly.
“My scout went to watch them on two occasions and he came back with very good report,” he said.
“They are a very good footballing side who have a beautiful pitch – the best pitch my scout has seen this season – so we have to be right at it to beat them.
“We have done all our homework. If we go over there and do exactly what we need to do then I know we are good enough to get the three points.”
After Saturday, Sporting return to Stourport on Tuesday night to face Swifts in the semi-finals of the Worcestershire Senior Urn (7.45pm KO).
