Tomorrow lunchtime Darlaston Town (1874) open their ground gates for the first for the first game of the 2019-20 pre and full season when Total Motion Midland League side Coton Green return for what is becoming an annual pre-season fixture kicking off 3 pm. ENTRANCE IS FREE.

This will be the first time that Andy Parkes squad have played on the hallowed turf of the Paycare Ground. A ground which since the end of last season has seen over £10,000 invested in the four pitches. Groundsman and Club Secretary Gil Preece has said “All the pitches are looking the best they have looked since we took over the facility. Having the pitches verti-drained, sanded, seeded and fertilized has made a significant improvement to the pitches. This was helped by the warm wet weather in May and June We are very pleased with the work and are now looking forward to a busy season, with the first and youth teams along with our new ladies team playing regularly at the ground. The grounds team of volunteers has worked so hard in the closed season to make the ground look the best it possibly can, and I would like to thank them for all their help.”

After a hard pre-season, where Manager Parkes and his management and medical teams have pushed the players to the limit and some, after last weekends fine performance at Hednesford Town, things have been ticking over this week, as they all build up to the season’s opener a week on Saturday at Pershore Town.

Tomorrow is the penultimate game of the Club’s pre-season, the last is on Tuesday night after a short ride to The Beeches, the home of last season’s West Midlands (Premier) League Premier Division Champions Tividale kick off 7.45 pm.

Rob Masefield brings his talented football playing squad for the second time in two years to The Paycare Ground. Coton Green, have had a very difficult pre-season very much the same as us because they have chosen to play clubs from leagues higher than their own, playing against opposition such as Brocton, Heather St. Johns, Colehill Town as they look to be at their best in readiness for their League seasons opener a week later than ourselves on 10th August when they welcome Fairfield Villa to their New Mill Lane ground.

Both managers have very similar footballing philosophies and standards, so tomorrow should bring a feast of good football. Last season Coton Green finished sixth in their Division of sixteen teams, wining 15 of their 30 games, losing 11 and drawing just four, scoring sixty goals, but conceding fifty-six.

In the two head to heads against each other its level at one game each, the first one at The Paycare Ground, Darlaston won 3-1 the game was a lot tighter than the scoreline suggests. Last year at Coton Green’s ground, it ended 4-3, to Coton Green, so tomorrow both sides will be looking for the win, as well as the performance and improvement they will be looking for.

Darlaston’s well renowned bar will be open from around 1 pm, serving up its normal outstanding fair, everyone’s favourites will be available pies, chips and the “World’s best Cobs” ENTRANCE IS FREE, kick off is 3 pm