Tom Ward beats keeper Mike Hale to the ball

Coach Mick Murphy’s plea for Market Drayton Town to appoint a new manager as soon as possible has been backed by the club’s players, writes TERRY MORRIS.

None have said as much in words but the way they stumbled out of the FA Trophy in last night’s replay at Bamber Bridge spoke volumes.

It was Town’s second successive four goal defeat since boss Simon Line’s sudden departure to Hednesford shocked the club last Thursday.

And while they again played well for much of last night’s tie, the way Town tailed off in the closing stages, allowing Bamber Bridge two late goals they did not deserve, sent alarm bells clanging.

Murphy, who has declined the managership because of work and personal commitments, said again after the match that Town need a manager as soon as possible.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time when Market Drayton Town have conceded four goals in consecutive matches and also failed to score,” he said.

“We did not defend very well tonight but, at the same time, we’ve also been awarded 16 corners – that’s got to say something for the number of attacks we’ve put in.”

“I’m very disappointed at the result because for long periods we had them rocking.”

Drayton were at their best in the 35 minutes after Phil Denney had fired Bamber Bridge into a deserved lead with a fine shot from the left that whistled past keeper Andy Pryce to find the far corner of the net.

Pryce’s counterpart, Mike Hale, was kept busy clawing crosses out of the air and Tom Rogers, Duncan Horler, Paul McMullen and Nicky Porter all had goalbound shots blocked as Town hit a purple patch that could easily have earned an interval lead.

Apart from a fine header by Martyn Davies brilliantly saved at the foot of a post, Town couldn’t achieve quite the same level of threat after the break but were still battering away well when Bamber Bridge grabbed a second through Lennie Reid two minutes after the hour mark.

It was a cruel cut – but worse was to come as, with Drayton in rather lacklustre all-or-nothing cup tie mode trying to get a goal back, Ashley Dunn (83 minutes) and Carl Lomax (87 minutes) punished them with two simple strikes.

It gave Bamber Bridge a far bigger margin than they deserved, but with two more tough away games coming up at Sheffield FC on Saturday and Leek on Tuesday it underlined Town’s urgent need for someone with the power to sort things out.