Ban won’t be distraction for West (From Worcester News)

Ban won’t be distraction for West

5:25pm Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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EVESHAM United manager Paul West says he is disappointed to be slapped with a two-match suspension.

The Robins chief was found guilty of using foul and abusive language towards a match official in the Zamaretto League Premier Division match at Farnborough last month.

West denied the charge but was handed a two-game touch-line ban, which begins on Easter Monday, and a £150 fine.

“It’s disappointing because it was my word against the assistant referee,” West said. “But we have to move on.”

With West not beginning his ban until April 5, he now has to focus his attentions on steering Evesham away from the relegation places.

The Robins are only two points above the drop-zone and are still awaiting their first win of 2010 as they head to Cambridge City on Saturday (3pm).

But the Evesham boss feels the 1-1 draw with in-form Stourbridge last Saturday, and the stalemate with second-placed Bashley on Tuesday, give him plenty of cause for optimism.

“Of course it has been horrendous for us in 2010, but after our last two games the glass is half full.

“Stourbridge have been having a fantastic season like we did last year, while against Bashley we missed a penalty and we could have been two or three up by half-time.

“We just need a bit of luck, but I can’t fault the players for their work-rate and effort.

“Sometimes when you are down there fighting players can run and hide — but not my players.”

West is likely to be without skipper Steve Lutz and fellow defender Danny Hodnett again with the pair still struggling with hamstring injuries.

“There a few players with a bumps and bruises, but we will patch them up and, with only 11 games left, hopefully they can play through it,” he added.