ROSS Speight has urged Middlewich Town’s players to use the disappointment of exiting the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup as a spur for their forthcoming matches.

The Witches bowed out at the quarter-finals stage last weekend after taking higher-ranked Dukinfield to a penalty shoot-out.

However they remain in contention to win three trophies and play in one of them – the JA Walton Challenge Cup – away to Orford on Saturday, kick-off 2pm.

“I wouldn’t want to be facing us,” said the co-manager.

“The lads were absolutely gutted last weekend and are as determined as I am to bring success to this club.

“It’s important they take confidence from what they’ve achieved already this season and make sure we don’t endure the same feeling again that we did [against Dukinfield] at the weekend.”

A place in the last eight, and a home date with Halebank, is a prize on offer to Middlewich when they return to action.

Despite an improved performance, after defeats in back-to-back league games that preceded it, last Saturday’s result means they haven’t won any of their past three matches.

However Speight, who picks the team along with John O’Sullivan and Michael Welch, told the Guardian his side had responded in the right way during training.

He added: “We highlighted where we’d been lacking and worked hard to resolve those problems.

“Those defeats against Pilkington and Windle Labour are behind us, and it was great to see the lads concentrating for long periods when under pressure against Dukinfield.

“We’d made an effort to improve our shape and defending as a unit, and it paid off.

“This remains a very good side, one that’s prepared to dig deep for each other.”