Market Drayton Town boss hopeful FA Vase and break can aid side

The Gingerbread Men have struggled to get going this term and were dealt a fourth North West First Division South defeat in five to leave them third bottom with a 3-0 home reverse to Ashville.

The visitors struck early for a deserved lead and despite some dominance Town could not get back into the game and shipped two more late goals.

"It's a frustrating period, we're playing pretty well, not taking our chances and we're getting punished," Dawson said. 

"It was a similar story on Saturday. We were poor for 15 minutes and they deservedly went 1-0 up then we were the better team. We missed a couple of decent chances, had a stonewall penalty appeal against Joel Reece turned down and they went and scored two late goals.

"We were the better team and controlling the game in the second half without creating too much."

Both sides received bizarre second-half red cards for a coming together. Town's Jack Finney was shown two yellows and Adam Sunners dismissed for the visitors.

Drayton host county and league rivals Haughmond in the FA Vase first qualifying round on Saturday before a break from action until September 6.

Finney is suspended and influential duo Dave Ablewhite and Liam Robinson are both absent this weekend.

"Tactically I think we're getting things right because we're dominating games and creating chances but not taking them," Dawson said. 

"So we two choices, we stay with the same players and hope they come good - which they could do in one game in four. Or as a management team we look at changes, whether tactically or change of personnel.

"We will explore both options. We have two or three new faces training with us and we'll see if we sign anybody. We will be proactive with what we do.

"We can settle down after the Vase game with no game for two weeks, add a player if we want to, do more training."