NICK Stocker will be hoping his numbers add up when his Tenbury United side head to Westfields Reserves this Saturday.

The joint manager made a half-time switch when the two sides met at Tenbury last weekend, sending on an extra defender after his three-man unit was overrun by the Herefordshire Premier League high-fliers.

A week on from that game, Stocker admits he needs to get his selection right from the start for the return match.

“We started well enough and scored after about five minutes through Chris Patton following a good break by Sam Williams,” Stocker explained.

“But they’ve then got through us and took their chances to lead 3-1 at half-time.

“I had a few harsh words at half-time and we went to four at the back by sending on Aaron [Morris].

"From then on we were excellent and deserved something from the game.

"It was a game of two halves.”

Ryan Morris reduced the arrears ten minutes after the break and it was all square 15 minutes from time when Mark Boucker struck the equaliser.

Luke Gill kept the Palmers Meadow outfit in contention by pulling off a fine penalty save only for Westfields to snatch victory with the last kick of the game, taking advantage of a mix-up at the back.

Stocker added: “It’s really frustrating to come out with nothing as we looked like the only team who were going to win it in the second half – we deserved a point at least.

“Going to four at the back suited us and it is something we will have to look at going into the return game at their place.”

This weekend’s match is a start of a torrid run of away games for United with Westfields lying second, level on points with leaders Wellington Rangers, who host Tenbury the following week.

February 10 then sees Stocker’s side make the trip to third-placed Kington Town Reserves.

Meanwhile, new Tenbury Town manager Matt Clifford had no complaints after seeing his side lose 3-0 at Ewyas Harold.

And he admits that losing Declan Bright has been a major blow for the side – the striker has returned to university.

Town were 3-0 down at the break against their mid-table hosts but had chances with both Alex Bright and Adam Everall hitting the woodwork.

Clifford will be hoping his side can bring a halt to a disappointing run that has seen them pick up just one win from their last eight league and cup games.

They host Fownhope this Saturday when they will be looking to avenge a 5-2 defeat from when the sides met last month when Alex Bright and Ian Patterson were on the scoresheet.

Town are then without a game for two weeks before hosting another mid-table side, Hinton, on February 17.