Shaw Lane Aquaforce manager Simon Houghton believes the promotion race will go to the wire and says the teams playing catch-up cannot afford to make a mistake
Simon Houghton believes the battle for a Toolstation NCEL Premier Division place will go to the death, writes James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson).
Shaw Lane Aquaforce boss Houghton is a veteran of the Division One promotion battles having been involved in the last six.
Houghton lifted Pontefract Collieries out of the doldrums and turned them into league heavyweights before enjoying winning promotion with Glasshoughton and Athersley as assistant and coach in the previous two seasons.
He reckons the 2014 battle is too close to call, but feels that his third-placed Shaw Lane side have put themselves in a good position.
“There have been some good promotion battles over the last few years,” he told Sports Performer.
“You knew Albion Sports were going to win it last year because they were far superior and the year before with Glasshoughton we went on a great run and stuck in there.
“Results went our way sometimes and that’s what you need. In an ideal world you can say that we’ll win 30 games and that’s it, but football does not work out that way.
“Football has a funny way of kicking you sometimes. We’ve had a couple of good away wins where the opposition didn’t have a shot and then against Emley it was a bit different.
“I think the promotion race will go to the wire this year. In previous years there have been two or three teams running away with it, but this year there are six or seven.
“Clipstone are a good run and so are Shirebrook and Pontefract. A couple of weeks ago Ponte were losing 3-1 when the game got abandoned and that’s what I’m saying about luck. That’s a great bit of luck.
“We’re in a good position. Everybody thinks we’re going to walk it, but nobody walks it. I have been in this Division long enough to know that.
“I don’t think anybody has really walked away with it apart from Scarborough and maybe Staveley.
“Staveley had a good run, but happened with them is they played and won all their games when everyone else was having games postponed. I was at Ponte and we didn’t play for two months, while Staveley got their games in and their points on the board.
“The pack was then chasing and that’s what I’ve said to my lads. The pressure is on them chasing because you can’t afford to make a mistake. We have the points on the board.”
Last time out Shaw Lane were beaten 3-2 at AFC Emley after surrendering a 2-0 lead in difficult conditions.
Aquaforce were due to host Dronfield Town, but that match was postponed due to heavy rain.
A trip to Dinnington is next on the agenda and Houghton says his team have forgot the Emley defeat.
“That’s what we do (move on), win, lose or draw.
“You draw a line under it and start again. It’s different team that you’re up against in different circumstances.
“The lads know what they have to do. We were never going to win every game. I didn’t want Emley to do the double over us, but they have done and fair play.”