Craig Elliott has said that his Shaw Lane team are in contention to win the NCEL Premier Division
Craig Elliott says Shaw Lane Aquaforce have put themselves in contention to win the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title.
The NCEL’s FA Vase heroes can overtake league leaders Tadcaster Albion with their games in hand after the 1-0 victory over them last week.
Elliott is refusing to get carried away, but he said: “It is a false league at the minute because Tadcaster have played a few games more than everyone else.
“But, I said before Christmas that there is five or six teams that can realistically win this league and I think that is apparent now.
“We have played most of the teams now and it is going to be a good second half of the season and I don’t think you would like to put your hat on anyone at this stage.
“All last Tuesday did was give us a chance and that’s all we wanted.
“We’re in with a chance and we have got some tricky games coming up.
“It is a matter of who holds their nerve between now and the end of the season.”
Elliott added to his excellent squad last week with the signing of 19-year-old defender Scott Brown.
Shaw Lane have been superb ambassadors for the league with wins in the Vase over tournament favourites West Auckland and then Shildon and Elliott is full of praise for his team.
“I knew the first half of the season was going to be about signing a few players and getting the blend right,” he added.
“I said that by Christmas I wanted to get the blend right and I think we have got that.
“You saw the fighting spirit of the team last week and some people question the attitude of my players and the so-called money, but they showed a lot of heart.
“People saw that my players ran through brick walls.”
The Ducks are due to welcome Bridlington to Shaw Lane tomorrow night, but the game is in doubt due to ongoing pitch problems at the complex.
A Rugby Union game played in extremely wet conditions left the pitch in a damaged state in November and the club have been working like trojans to repair it.