Selby Town manager Dave Ricardo can’t put his finger on why his team play so well in the cup, but are inconsistent in the league
Dave Ricardo is urging his Selby Town side to replicate their cup performances in the Toolstation NCEL Division One.
Selby have pulled off two giant-killing acts in the West Riding County Cup alongside two shock results in the FA Vase.
However, their league form has been inconsistent and Selby lie in 13th place after 17 matches with a home game with Bottesford Town looming tomorrow.
Even Ricardo admits he can’t put his finger on why their cup form is excellent, but their league results have been up and down.
“To be honest, I don’t know if it is my age or because I’m in my third year in management, but I haven’t got a clue,” Ricardo told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is a case of working on the basics and working on what I believe in. It is a case of working, working, working.
“I counted up the other day our results in the last month and I think we should have got another eight points which would have taken us to seventh-place with a game in hand.
“Look, I could say we should be top four or top three, but at the end of the day, the table doesn’t lie at this stage of the season.
“It tells me that we have a lot of work do. To have a top four finish was my personal aim at the start of this season and we have a lot of work to do that.
“If I was a bookmaker, we would probably be outsiders, but we have to keep working. We have a good squad with quality in every position.
“If we can all pull together on-and-off-the-pitch, I still believe we can achieve something this year.”
Selby staged another memorable cup performance on Wednesday after taking promotion-chasing Tadcaster Albion all the way to a penalty shootout in the County Cup.
Danny Bunch’s equaliser in the final minute of normal time sent the game to extra-time and Ricardo said: “I’m extremely proud, but also infuriated because it is another game where we have performed to a high level having preceded the game with a 2-2 draw with bottom of the league Grimsby Borough.
“We were lucky to get a draw (against Grimsby) and it is up to the players to get themselves sorted in the best possible mental shape.”