QUENTIN TOWNSEND has challenged his Pershore Town squad to share the goalscoring burden to find the winning formula.
Pershore suffered back-to-back Bank Holiday defeats in Midland League Division One, without scoring a goal, in losing 1-0 at Atherstone Town on Saturday and then 3-0 at home to surprise package Racing Club Warwick on Monday.
It means the Plums have netted just three times so far this term, all from summer signing Jamie Clarke, and Townsend says it is imperative they find a finishing touch.
Despite losing four of their five games so far, the boss points out Pershore have had their chances, but confidence has been dented when they have repeatedly let the opposition off the hook.
“I read one tweet from one of the Racing Club fans at half time, saying they couldn’t believe Pershore Town weren’t 3-0 up,” said Townsend.
“We’ve been creating so many chances. I’m not talking about half-chances we are squandering, but one-on-ones.
“It then becomes a confidence thing when you are so much on top without getting a goal.
“It was the same against Atherstone. We dominated for the first 35 minutes but couldn’t score. We defended resolutely in the second half in really tough conditions but they got the winner five minutes from time.
“It highlights the importance of getting that first goal. We did that against Southam and went on to win.
“We’ve got the second lowest number of goals in the league so far and we need to spread the goal threat.”
Townsend will be looking to bolster the team to kick-start their season and a new face could be on board for Saturday’s trip to Hinckley AFC, but he is adamant he still has belief in the squad he assembled during the summer.
However, the boss admits the sum of its parts has not yet equalled its individual components.
“Every time I write down the 11 names on the team sheet, I think I’ve got a good team,” said Townsend. “But it hasn’t quite been converted into the results on a Saturday.
“As a manager looking on from the sidelines, you feel helpless. All I can do is keeping telling the players I believe in them and they are good players.”
Striker Louis Bridges is closing in on his first appearance in a Pershore short after his serious knee injury.
The former Southam player followed Townsend to the King George V Stadium last term to join the backroom team as he recovered from a cruciate ligament injury, but he is now back in full training.
“I’m desperate to have Louis back,” said Townsend. “Hopefully in a couple of weeks we’ll be able to have him back on the bench and maybe get him 20 minutes for three or four games to get his fitness back.”
Midfielder Ollie Casey misses the trip to Hinckley on Saturday through work commitments.