PAUL West is likely to alter his strike force again this weekend when the Robins will be attempting to extend their unbeaten league record away from home to 11 matches.

Eight of those games have brought three points and an average of two goals per match sounds like an impressive ratio. However, Evesham have managed just 38 goals in their 22 Division One Midlands outings and it's that statistic that has seen the Evesham chief continually switch his strikers.

Mark Owen has scored 11 of those goals and 21 in all matches but the top scorer has found himself on the bench in three of the last four games.

"Of course it's disappointing," Owen reflected honestly. "There's a lot of competition for places but when you are not in the side you feel that you aren't really part of it.

"We are having a great season and in a superb position for the title. The bigger picture is the team and the manager has had some difficult decisions to make but I am happy here.

"I have spoken to him about it and I understand his position. Gary Hay has come in and he's player of great quality and the fact that there are four of us vying for those two positions means that there is back up needed if necessary."

Owen had just six minutes to impress in Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Dunstable that took West's men to the top of the table.

He had just one chance when he hea-ded Danny Scheppel's cross narrowly wide on an afternoon when the Robins just didn't function as an attacking unit with Allando Davis preferred to both Owen and Daniel Lennon who replaced James Knott on the hour mark.

Redundant The visitors, who took to the field with a bare 11 players after the two nominated substitutes took exception to their exclusion, rarely troubled Nathan Vaughan who produced two first half stops before being virtually redundant after the break.

Knott dragged an early chance wide before Steve Lutz's determination and a cool finish gave the hosts a 16th minute lead.

The skipper and Danny Scheppel, who have scored 20 goals between them from midfield, came closest to adding to that tally before half-time after which defenders Michael Hayden and Steve Luckett were the only ones to test the Dunstable keeper.

"I wasn't happy with what I saw but when you win games when you don't play well then that bodes well for the rest of the season," West admitted.

Evesham travel to Willenhall on Saturday for the first of eight games in February continuing with the visit of Romulus to St George's Lane next Tuesday night.

Six of next month's matches are at Worcester including promotion clashes with Chasetown (12th), Leighton (16th) and Stourbridge (19th) and, by the time the Robins travel to Aylesbury on March 1, their championship chances could be a lot clearer.

Tuesday's game is being sponsored by T & P Davies Scaffolding (Evesham) and the ball by Eurofresh.

4:00pm Wednesday 30th January 2008

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