Pitch-side Preview – Reds v Badgers

Saturday 2nd February 2013
Stafford Town v Brocton
Athium Midland Combination Premier Division
Kick-off: 3-00 pm

It’s derby day in Stafford tomorrow (kick-off 3-00 pm) when Town host Brocton in an eagerly-awaited Athium Midland Combination fixture at Evans Park, originally postponed on Boxing Day. At the moment, there is little to separate the local rivals in the Premier Division table with Town in 7th position on 31 points from 20 games, one place and one point above Brocton who do have a game in hand.

Tomorrow’s game comes at the end of a period of wet and wintry weather during which Town played just two competitive games during the past eight weeks and Brocton only three. Both sides were successful in their last outing with Town progressing in the Staffs Vase at Audley and the Badgers thumping Warstones Wanderers 8-0 in the Walsall Senior Cup.

Despite the close proximity of the two clubs – current grounds are less than a mile apart as the crow flies – they haven’t met in a league game for over 20 years. The last of four meetings in the Staffordshire Senior League took place at Brocton on 10th May 1993 and finished 2-2, played at (I think) Cannock Sports Stadium. More recently, the two teams met three times in cup games last season with Brocton winning all three. The FA Vase tie at Evans Park, which Brocton won 2-1, attracted a crowd of 231 (http://pitch-side-stories.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/saturday-19th-november-2011.html).

It should be another memorable occasion tomorrow at Evans Park.

If one derby game is not enough, we won't have to wait long for 'part II' as the teams meet against at Silkmore Lane next Saturday.

Form Guide

Stafford Town (last six games) LWLLLW
12/1/13 Audley 1 Stafford Town 2 (Staffs Vase)
5/1/13 Stafford Town 1 Bromsgrove Sporting 2 (Mid Comb)
8/12/12 Blackwood 2 Stafford Town 1 (Midland Combination)
1/12/12 Stafford Town 0 Walsall Wood 4 (Midland Combination)
24/11/12 Nuneaton Griff 1 Stafford Town 5 (Midland Combination)
20/11/12 Stafford Town 1 Stafford Rangers 2 (Walsall Senior Cup)


Brocton (last six games) LWWWLW
12\1\13 Brocton 8 Warstones Wanderers 0 (Walsall Senior Cup)
5\1\13 Pershore Town 3 Brocton 1 (Midland Combination)
15\12\12 Racing Club Warwick 0 Brocton 4 (Challenge Cup)
8\12\12 Brocton 1 Earlswood Town 0 (Midland Combination)
1\12\12 Pilkington XXX 0 Brocton 4 (Midland Combination)
24\11\12 Brocton 2 Bromsgrove Sporting 3 (Midland Combination)