Glassboys start the year in top spot

9:55am Thursday 3rd January 2008

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STOURBRIDGE FC go into the new year full of confidence after a superb end to 2007 sees them sitting on top of the BGB Midlands Division One table.

The Glassboys have made a meteoric rise up the league and an emphatic win over Willenhall Town on Boxing day and then 4-1 trouncing of Berkhamstead Town last Saturday has seen them take top spot.

Manager Gary Hackett is not getting carried with their lofty position but feels they have put themselves in good stead to finish in a higher position than last season's creditable seventh.

Hackett said: "It's been an excellent Christmas for us and it's great to see us at the top of the table but we must not get carried away.

"Teams have got a lot of games in hand but I must admit I much prefer to have the points on the board.

"Our realistic goal for the season is to finish higher than the seventh position we did last year and if we can keep the players fit who knows.

"Maybe if we are still in this position closer to the end of the campaign our goals may change but for the moment we will just be taking it one game at a time."

The league leaders will welcome Chesham to the War Memorial Ground on Saturday (3pm kick off) before taking a break from the league for a mouth-watering Birmingham Senior Cup Quarter final clash at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers next Tuesday (7.45pm kick off).

Hackett said: "It's going to a big week for the club starting with a hard fixture against a very good Chesham side on Saturday.

"We then host Wolves in what promises to be an exciting cup tie."

Hackett is hoping for a big turnout for the game which is likely to see the Molineux visitors bring a squad featuring a host of first team regulars if their recent reserve team line-ups are anything to go by.

Brierley Hill FC manager Tony Gore is hoping this season's tie-up with Withymoor Colts will start to bear fruit in 2008.

The nomadic borough side - who are based at Halesowen Town's Grove this season - changed their name from Brierley and Hagley to Brierley Hill & Withymoor in the close season after joining forces with the junior football club.

They ended 2007 on a high with a 2-0 home win over local rivals Dudley Town in the West Midlands Premier Division "The association is working well," said Gore, "Nothing has really changed at first-team level yet but we are hoping to introduce some of the youth-teamers in the new year.

"We should be a top ten side but we are too inconsistent - we are among the league's highest scorers but also concede one of the highest figures. Teams that play us don't have to work hard enough for their goals."

"It's been a mixed season for us because we have been as good - and as bad - as anyone else in this league."

This Saturday they will kick off their New Year fixtures with another derby when they welcome high-flying Dudley Sports to the Grove (3pm kick off).

Sports are the division's surprise package and under the guidance of Neil Perks and Paul Blakeley they it in second position.

They chalked up a 2-1 win away at Tividale last weekend to end the year on a high.

Meanwhile, Lye Town will be hoping to keep on making steady progress in 2008.

Town sit in the top ten despite going down 3-1 at league leaders Bridgnorth in their last outing.

Geoff Moss's men will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they welcome a struggling Bustleholme outfit to Stourbridge Road this Saturday (3pm kick off).