Cox: Old Hill can still survive drop (From Dudley News)

Cox: Old Hill can still survive drop

11:20am Friday 7th September 2012 in Sport

DEFIANT Old Hill skipper Dan Cox says his side can still avoid relegation.

With two games to go, Old Hill are 27 points adrift of safety and look odds on to drop out of Birmingham League Division One.

The Haden Hill side have won just twice all year and almost certainly need to win their final two games to stand any chance of survival, starting with this Saturday’s home game with Kenilworth Wardens - one of two teams they can catch.

Despite the desperate situation, Cox says the players still believe they can climb out of the mire.

He said: “All the lads are still trying their best, you can’t question that.

“We do not want to be in the position we are in but the fact is we are and feel we can still do something about it.”

Having challenged for promotion for the previous three seasons, this year has been a chastening experience for the club who lost former skipper Nathan Round along with a host of other quality players over the winter.

Cox admits his first year of captaincy has been extremely tough but says the club must not panic if they are relegated. He said: “We need to try and keep this team together. We are all young and will come back stronger.

“I can understand people at the club being frustrated with the way things have worked out.

“But we lost a number of quality players and a number of new faces came in. It was always going to be tough.” The mood is a little better along the A459 at Halesowen , though not by much. After a season spent hovering in the middle of Division Two, their season has taken a downward spiral in recent weeks and they were beaten by Brewood on Saturday.

Halesowen are one of six teams who could still find themselves occupying the division’s final relegation spot and their final two opponents, Old Elizabethans and Eastnor, are in the same boat.

Skipper Wes Griffiths is trying to stay positive. He said: “The situation clearly isn’t a position we want to find ourselves in.

“Old Elizabethans will be a tough game. We know they are a decent side but if we play anywhere near our potential I think we’ll win. We beat them at their place and they have got to come to us so I think we’ll win.”

“After that we travel to Eastnor. If we play like I know we can I think we can get a good result in both of our remaining games.

“Overall I feel we have a very good chance of getting out of trouble and I know we have a team that’s more than capable.”