TITLE-chasing Bromsgrove Sporting will take on rivals Highgate United tomorrow (Saturday) in what manager Paul Smith has described as a ‘season defining’ game.
The Rouslers could get within four points of Midland Football League Division One joint leaders Highgate if they secure victory at Tythe Barn Lane.
Three successive draws in January followed by two consecutive defeats last month have seen Bromsgrove slip from second to fourth and offer United the chance to pull further clear at the top.
However, their promotion rivals have failed to take advantage as they have suffered back-to-back league defeats, which Smith said has given his players further confidence of claiming a valuable three points.
“For me, this is a season defining game for us,” he said. “We lost our last league game against Cadbury and we drew the two league games either side of the Pelsall Villa game, so we are not in the greatest of form.
“But likewise Highgate have lost their last two games, which puts them under a lot of pressure as well. So it is massive game for both sides and one which will go along way to deciding which club is going to finish highest this season.
“A defeat up at Highgate when we are already seven points behind with a game in head would be a huge blow for us and that’s the bottom line.
“They could probably get away with a draw whereas we need to go there and win and that’s what we are all motivated to try and do.”
However, Smith admitted Bromsgrove’s preparation had been “disjointed” as they have struggled to train and have lost last two league fixtures postponded.
“It’s been a tough build up,” he added. “We have had our last two games postponed. With the floodlights going up at the ground, we have not been able to train for a week, so it has been a bit disjointed going into the biggest game of the season,
“That said, there I won’t let the players use that as a excuse if things don’t work out. We have got to put recent performances behind us and hopefully step up to the plate.”