Manager Michael Birmingham's warning to Horndean squad as they prepare to host Amesbury side with a 'point to prove'

Michael Birmingham cursed Horndean's fortunes as they prepare to come up against a wounded Amesbury side on Saturday.
Horndean manager Michael Birmingham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 100721-43)Horndean manager Michael Birmingham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 100721-43)
Horndean manager Michael Birmingham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 100721-43)

The Deans entertain the team currently rooted to the bottom of the Wessex League Premier Division and on the back of a 9-2 midweek trouncing at Shaftesbury in midweek.

In fact, in the three games they've played this season, Amesbury have conceded 15 times and netted three goals in a league and FA Cup clash with Shaftesbury and a Wessex Premier meeting against Cowes Sports.

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But Birmingham, whose Deans side themselves are searching for a first win of the season at the third attempt, insists Amesbury will visit Five Heads Park with a 'point to prove'.

And the Horndean boss is looking for his team to put a complete performance together following a slow start to the campaign.

Birmingham said: ‘What a great time to play them (Amesbury)! But Shaftesbury will be strong, they’ve obviously got Ollie Cherett there from Christchurch, I’m not surprised Shaftesbury - they’re going to be a tough side to beat this year.

‘Amesbury are going to have a point to prove now, it’s not great timing is it (to play them).

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‘It doesn’t matter, at the end of the day, every game in the Wessex League is going to be tough, all we can do is prepare to beat or attempt to beat what’s in front of us.

‘It’s just at the minute, when things aren’t clicking, people then start to panic on the pitch and try to adapt their game for no reason.’

Horndean drew their league opener at home to Alresford before last weekend's 4-2 FA Cup extra-preliminary round defeat at rivals AFC Portchester.

It leaves them without a win as they head into fixture number three this term, but Birmingham says there's no need for panic and is confident things will come good for his side.

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The Deans boss said: ‘We haven’t exactly played badly in the two games. We’ve had it analysed and in both games we’ve made 300-odd passes. We haven’t done too bad.

‘Against Alresford, going forward we weren’t great but defensively we were good. Against Portchester, going forward we were good but defensively we weren’t good, so we haven’t got that little connection at the moment.

‘We’re not a million miles away, there’s no need to panic, no-one’s died.

‘The good thing is we’re still moving the ball quite sharp, we’re still creating chances, but whether we’re just not clicking at the back or going forward, it’s one of those things.

‘We’re working hard on it in training and we’ll keep working hard until the results start to come.’

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