CARL ADAMS refused to use a busy schedule as an excuse as Stratford Town ended a roller-coaster week on a low.
The Town boss saluted Saturday’s stunning tables-turning win at title-chasing Poole Town as a great performance and positive proof of the quality in the side.
The 2-1 win at the Dolphins, thanks to Tyrone Fagan’s winner, ended a run of 13 league games without a victory but a 1-0 home defeat to Leamington on Monday and Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss at fellow strugglers Cambridge City left Adams frustrated.
Town have played 11 matches in the last month but Adams says performances have not been good enough.
“We’ve had a very tough and congested schedule having played six sides from the top eight in the last 16 days and we are just coming up short.
“The players need to know that they are playing for their Town futures so let’s see what they can produce over the last six games of this season.
“After hard games against Poole and Leamington, the Cambridge match looked like one game too many. We’ve had a tough schedule but I won’t hide away from the fact that this was a poor performance.”
Town, two places above the drop zone, need to bounce back on Saturday when they entertain mid-table Dorchester Town at the DCS Stadium.
They still have the chance to create history on Tuesday night when they bid to reach the Birmingham Senior Cup final for the first time in more than 50 years.
Town face Vanarama North title favourites Solihull Moors at the DCS, with the winners playing holders Birmingham City.
Two goals either side of half time sent Stratford to defeat at Cambridge, who moved within one point of Town with two games in hand.
A stunning 30-yard thunderbolt by Buster Harradine gave City the lead a couple of minutes before half time and a second goal followed two minutes after the interval when Town midfielder Jack Roberts could only divert a low James Hall cross into his own net.
On Monday, Leamington took the points in the ‘South Warwickshire Clasico’, thanks to a third minute penalty in front of a season’s highest crowd of 570.
Sloppy defending led to Daniel Dubidat being brought down by Aaron Moses-Garvey and Sam Austin fired home the spot-kick.
Town rallied but Brakes keeper Tony Breeden denied Dior Angus and then Breeden tipped over Jamie Sheldon’s cross.
On Saturday Fagan was the hero as Town, mixing neat passing and a battling approach, sent title hopefuls Poole to only their second home defeat of the season.
Kieren Westwood slammed home the Town opener on 16 minutes with a spectacular strike.
Although Poole levelled with a Steve Devlin penalty on 68 minutes, Fagan headed home an Angus cross for Stratford’s winner three minutes later.
