SHAWBURY United boss Dave Richards is determined that his players will be fighting fit ahead of a tricky double bill over the Christmas period.

The wintry weather wiped out their match with Worcester City at the weekend meaning the Ludlow-based side have not played a league game since November 21.

And with training sessions just as tricky to organise due to pitches being booked up, Richards has opted for a different approach ahead of Saturday’s match at Bromsgrove Sporting and the Boxing Day trip to Westfields.

“I’ve organised a couple of sessions at a boxing gym in Telford,” the Shawbury manager revealed.

“The players will be doing some boxing circuits, use the punch bags and then maybe do some sparring in the ring.

"I might even get up there myself though I might duck out when some of the bigger lads get in there.

“It’s all about keeping the lads fit and having a bit of fun at this time of year.

"They are being pulled in so many ways with so much going on and with their other halves chewing their ears off about going Christmas shopping.”

Both Bromsgrove and Westfields will prove a tough test for Richards’ side but he’s more concerned about getting a game on at the moment.

“They are two of the bigger clubs in the league and there will be a decent crowd for each of the games,” he admitted.

“With us not playing for so long, I’ve told the players to go and get games elsewhere when they can as long as they don’t do anything stupid and get injured.

"I know that five or six of them have been playing so that’s good.”