Martyn Davies rallies Market Drayton Town for Spalding test

Davies is expecting a tough encounter as his side bid to build on a three-game unbeaten run that has lifted them off the foot of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier South table.

Drayton couldn’t make it three wins on the spin when they wre held to a 2-2 draw by Loughborough Dynamo at Greenfields in midweek.

Shocked by a first-minute goal, Drayton never approached the heights of two previous morale-boosting wins, 5-2 against Newcastle and 1-0 at Stocksbridge last Saturday.

But Davies was keen to highlight his side’s recent improvement.

“It was scruffy and not nearly as good as when we played Newcastle and Stocksbridge, but from really struggling we’re unbeaten in three games, we’ve picked up seven points and we’ve scored eight goals – there’s no way I’m going to knock that,” said Davies.

“However, we’ve got a really tough test ahead against Spalding.

“Everyone has to stand up to be counted for that one. It could be so important to where we go from here.

“They won’t mess about. They’re big, they’re strong and they know what they’re doing. They play it simple and they keep at you.

“It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it works for them and they are always there and thereabouts at the top end of the table.”

Drayton were rocked in midweek when Loughborough struck after a minute through Ashley Hodgkinson.

Dan Beddows headed Drayton back into the game on 19 minutes from Glyn Coney’s accurate cross and, after Coney had made it 2-1, Town seemed on their way.

But their inclination to over-elaborate, especially running the ball in midfield, only encouraged a lively, contrastingly direct Dynamo to score an equaliser they probably deserved, albeit it from of a rather fortunate 81st-minute scramble at the far post converted by Josh Riley.