Knight calls on Racers to be more ruthless and then axes Fuller

Racers have failed to win since their FA Vase exit at the hands of Wisbech, with Tuesday night’s home defeat following hot on the heels of a 2-2 draw with struggling Cadbury Athletic on Saturday.

And, while admitting the performance against second-placed Castle Vale was much improved from the display against Cadbury, Knight was left rueing an inability to turn possession into goals.

“It might have been different had we scored the first goal,” said Knight. “Their first was a penalty and the second was their only shot on target in the whole game.

“We should have been at least one up inside the first 20 minutes and the second half we have dominated and not been under any pressure.

“But we need to be selfish in front of goal.

“We’ve slipped back into our old ways and have no threat in the final third.”

Racing Club were quickly out of the blocks, with Myron Semper wreaking havoc on the left flank.

Danny Charlton saw a goalbound effort blocked while Adrian Neil slid a shot inches wide of the far past after weaving his way through the Castle Vale defence.

Little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force but despite being on the back foot, it was they who opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark.

A long ball was played forward to lone frontman Conal Powell, who outmuscled Leon Blake before being hauled down by the centre-back.

Danny O’Callaghan stepped up to drill the resultant spot-kick past Tom Robinson to give Castle Vale an undeserved lead.

Ricardo Richards screwed a shot wide as Racing Club looked for a way back, but ten minutes later it was 2-0, with Powell holding off a defender before slotting home from ten yards.

Richards forced the first serious save from either keeper in the 53rd minute with a shot Peter Maguire did well to parry and the striker shot over in the 68th minute after Neil had wasted a clear opening by delaying his shot.

Maguire left the pitch minutes later with a dislocated finger, but Racers failed to test his makeshift replacement, with Martin Crawford’s cross-cum-shot, which rattled the crossbar, the nearest they came to reducing the deficit.

Knight revealed after the game that Luke Fuller had left the club.

Fuller was one of the Racers’ standout performers during their FA Vase run after moving back to midfield.

However, disciplinary issues with the player came to head on Tuesday night, with Fuller, who had been named as substitute, nowhere to be seen at the start of the second half.

Fuller cited a groin strain, but Knight said he had no other option than to release the player.

“We’ve had a few disciplinary issues with one or two players,” said Knight, who was also without Michael Batchelor on Tuesday night.

Some of them think that this is a Sunday morning kickabout and maybe that’s why they are still playing at this level.

“Luke backed me into a corner.

“He was poor last Saturday and I left him out, but I was looking to put him on after the break and no one knew where he was.

“I’m disappointed on a personal note and embarrassed for him.

“But if he can find a club who looks after him like we have done then I’ll pat him on the back and say well done.”

Racing Club travel to Pilkington XXX tomorow without Leon Blake, who is away in Australia.