Gore pleased with display despite defeat (From Dudley News)

Gore pleased with display despite defeat

12:40pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in Football

TONY Gore was full of praise for his Dudley Sports players despite their 3-2 defeat at second-placed Shawbury United on Saturday.

Gore was in no doubt his side let Shropshire side Shawbury off the hook after they had led 2-0 at half-time.

He said: “People will look at the result and think it wasn’t a bad performance by us, but we could have easily been 5-0 up by half-time.”

Two goals from leading marksman Matt Hearsay had given Sports the edge before Shawbury hit back strongly after the break.

Sports’ prospects were hampered further when they had Luke Williams, who will miss Saturday’s derby with Dudley Town at Hillcrest Avenue following a dismissal against Bromyard Town a fortnight ago, was sent off.

Gore admitted he was struggling to raise a side for Saturday with Hearsay, Josh Taylor and Steve Priest all absent while both Matt Holloway and his son Mark are major injury doubts.

Meanwhile, Craig Tibbetts has turned down a seven-day approach from Dudley Town to stay with Sports.

•  Rion Francis-Mills will remain with Dudley Town for the time being despite interest from Southern League side Stourbridge.

Francis Mills featured for Stourbridge last week in their Birmingham Senior Cup success over Gornal Athletic and will continue to train with the Glassboys.

However, Francis-Mills can still play matches for Dudley and the arrangement has the blessing of Robins’ boss Andy Burgess.

He said: “Stourbridge put seven days in for Rion and I won’t stand in his way, training with them is only going to make him better.”

Francis-Mills made his mark for the Robins by firing home twice in their 3-1 win over bottom side Willenhall Town taking his tally to 13 goals in 12 games with Ben Stretton adding the third.

•  Liam Hughes has pledged his future with Black Country Rangers following a brief flirtation with Southern League side Evesham United.

Hughes played two games for Evesham but found the travelling too much and returned to Rangers’ ranks in time for their 5-0 crushing of Cradley Town.

Hughes found the net twice, taking his season’s tally to a staggering 28 goals, while Rangers remain six points clear on top of the West Midlands League.

Rangers boss Paul Garner insists Hughes decision had nothing to do with the departure of Evesham manager Matt Clarke.

Meanwhile, Garner insists he was happy for striker Jozsef Jakab to continue playing in goal after turning out between the posts against Cradley.

Garner said: “Jozsef played well and with Liam Hughes returning, it’s difficult for him to get in the side.”