Stevens sacked at Drayton after torrid start to campaign

Stevens, who took over from Martyn Davies last December, had yet to earn Drayton their first point of the campaign after five league games brought five defeats, conceding 21 goals.

Drayton, who play at step four in Northern One South East, also bowed out of the FA Cup and FA Trophy at the first hurdle this season.

And Tuesday night’s 3-0 league defeat at Kidsgrove Athletic was the final straw for the club as they announced the decision to part company with the former assistant boss the next

morning.

The club have begun the process to replace former St Martins boss Stevens.

After shoots of recovery before the Covid shutdown in March, the new campaign got off to a miserable start for Stevens’ side last month, as Drayton crashed out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 Greenfields defeat to lower-ranked Tividale.

League reverses against Belper Town and Chasetown followed, either side of another 1-0 home cup exit, this time in the FA Trophy against fellow step four outfit Bury Town.

Heavy league defeats were to come as Drayton were thrashed 6-0 at Leek Town before a 5-1 home reverse to Ilkeston Town last Saturday.

Stevens had assembled a new backroom team through the lockdown period, but was unable to get Drayton off the mark this term.

After a 6-1 friendly defeat to AFC Telford United at the beginning of September, the boss admitted Market Drayton had been punching above their weight, competing at step four for a 12th season.