KEITH Draper has stepped down as manager of Studley to be replaced by his assistant Vaughan Pearshouse.

Draper resigned last week in the wake Studley's 5-1 defeat to Lichfield City and said: "I felt I'd lost the dressing room.

"It was something that had already been happening ahead of the Lichfield game. I'd been clashing with players every week and it was wearing me down.

"I just felt some of them were not buying into what I was trying to do.

"It wasn't a decision taken lightly and I'm devastated it has come to this because Studley is a fantastic place with some brilliant people.

"The club have asked me to stay on in some capacity, but I feel my football days are over. I won't be going into football management again."

Despite stepping down, Draper still travelled from his home in Northfield last Tuesday to collect a new player based in Rugelkey and then take him to the game at Heath Hayes - only for the match to be called off at 7.20pm.

Vaughan Pearshouse has now taken charge of Studley until the end of the season and will be assisted by former player Matt Dorgan who is also a coach at Birmingham City's academy.

Pearshouse said: "I was surprised and sorry that Keith decided to step down.

"I know that players can get disappointed when they are left out of the side and things can get a bit emotional but I feel it's something that could have been sorted out.

"I wasn't at the Lichfield game because of ill health, so I don't know what was said, but Keith has clearly taken it to heart.

"I called all the players together for a meeting last week after the Heath Hayes game was called off just to clear the air and install some new ground rules.

"I don't feel there are any major issues at the club and the objectives still remain the same, to finish as high as we can up the league table and try to qualify for next season's FA Cup.

"All the lads have told me they are up for the challenge."

Studley's clash with top of the table Walsall Wood fell victim to the weather last Saturday.

They were due to host Chelmsley Town on Tuesday before travelling to fifth-placed Hinckley AFC this Saturday in another Midland League Division One contest.