Play-offs on radar

10:14am Thursday 6th March 2008

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BIG back-to-back away wins have pushed Stourbridge FC back towards a play-off position and manager Gary Hackett is confident his side can stay there as they ender the "business end of the season".

The Glassboys followed up their 5-0 trouncing of Berkhamsted with a 4-2 win at Gloucestershire-based Bishops Cleeve last weekend.

The two triumphs have seen the War Memorial outfit moved within one place of the final play-off spot in BGB Midlands Division One and the manager believes it will be disappointing campaign if they don't qualify for the end-of-season promotion shoot-out.

Hackett said: "The play-offs are very much achievable as long as we can steer clear of injuries.

"If we can I've go no doubt we have a squad that should be pushing for a play-off spot and if we don't I will be disappointed.

"I told the players we are now entering the business end of the season and we will be giving it our best shot."

The Glassboys had started the year in shocking fashion after slipping to five straight defeats which co-incided with top marksman Mark Bellingham suffering a severe knee injury.

The striker will miss the rest of the campaign but Hackett believes his squad have now adjusted to being without him.

Hackett added: "It's taken us a while to adjust to playing without Mark as it would any team when you lose a player of his goalscoring calibre.

"I think we are there now and with Rob Taylor back in action we have striker who is starting to hit his straps, although I don't think we will see him back to his best until next season."

The Glassboys will be back on their travels this Saturday when they visit struggling Malvern Town (3pm kick-off).

The manager is set to give winger Kyle Hadley another weekend off as he recovers from a bruised kidney, while Paul Danks is also set to be missing for about 10 days with a hamstring strain.

Stourbridge will face their second away game in the space of four days when they travel to Worcester City's St Georges Ground next Tuesday (7.45 pm kick-off) to face top-of-the-table Evesham United.