Rainworth MW desperate for a smile from Lady Luck

Rainworth MW will go into Saturday’s Evo-Stik NPL Division One South game with Sutton Coldfield hoping for a huge change in fortune.
Emeka Nwadike.Emeka Nwadike.
Emeka Nwadike.

With a reasonable share of the luck on offer the Wrens would have picked up six points from their last two games and hauled themselves out of the bottom two, but they managed just one from a 1-1 draw at Loughborough a fortnight ago, before going down 3-2 at home to Sheffield.

And co-manager John Knapper says his side are desperate for a change of fortune before time runs out on them.

Knapper echoed the post-match words of coach Danny Peacock following the Sheffield defeat, that although a bizarre own goal and three crucial refereeing decisions - a penalty not awarded and two goals disallowed - went against them, there remained question marks against some naive decision making by the young side despite an encouraging performance.

Knapper said: “I go along with Danny’s comments.

“Before the own goal, when we were 2-1 up, we shot ourselves in the foot to let them score two late goals.

“So we have to get through to the lads that they need to take on board a bit of worldly wisdom to make sure that their encouraging performances earn them the rewards they deserve.

“It’s not over-exaggerating to say that only one point from six we should have had is desperate in our position. Other clubs don’t give you goals.

“At Loughborough we had a missed penalty - you have to score. We missed a good chance very early on - you have to score.

“Against Sheffield we’ve won a clear penalty which hasn’t been given, we’ve had two debatable disallowed goals, but you can’t do anything about things like that, you have to get on with it and not let the opposition back in as we did.

“It’s probably the oldest saying in football that when you are down the luck turns against you. Will it turn back? It’s got to. We have nine games left and we must win at least a point a match from those to have any chance of staying in this division.

“Our last home game is against Kidsgrove, and currently that looks massive, but I would like to think that we can be clear enough above them for the result that day not to matter too much.

“Sutton Coldfield will be a massive test for us. Their manager, Neil Tooth, is a good friend of 10 years standing, and, although they’ve had a bit of a wobble lately, they are a very good side indeed.

“We have to match them individually and collectively if we are to take anything from the game.”

Meanwhile, skipper Emeka Nwadike, who was planning to hang up his boots at the end of the season, has brought forward his decision for family reasons.

The experienced midfielder sadly suffered a bereavement and missed the two matches prior to the Sheffield game, in which on his return he sustained a hamstring injury before half-time, and has understandably decided that he currently needs the time with his family.

Knapper added: “We’ve thanked Emeka for all he has done for us.

“He needs to put his family first and we fully understand and support that.2

However, the joint boss revealed that he was expecting to recruit another experienced attacking midfielder, possibly in time for the Sutton game.

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