Ossett Town manager John Reed has been joined by the club’s vice-chairman Lee Broadbent in the dugout for the last two games. Picture: Mark Gledhill
John Reed is confident Ossett Town are close to securing their Evo Stik Division One North status for next season.
Reed marks the first anniversary of his appointment as Ossett boss tomorrow when his side head to Droylsden and he is hopeful that his team are overcoming their troubles.
Town were hanging perilously above the relegation zone last month, but crucial wins over Padiham, New Mills, Brighouse Town and Prescot Cables have lifted the gloom at Ingfield.
Those four victories have opened up a 15 point gap between them and second-bottom New Mills and Reed said: “We’re not out of it, but these six points (against Brighouse and Prescot) make it a massive thing for us because it lifts us up another place.
“We have got a lot of games in hand on people, but we have some tough matches now. We have Droylsden away, Bamber Bridge away and Farsley at home.
“What I’m doing in games is looking and saying ‘this is a top ten team and we have to play out of our skins’.
“We have got points in the second half of the season against New Mills, Padiham and Prescot so have got the points against the right teams.
“We’re not out of it until mathematically we can’t be caught so we have to keep going. We always knew this year that we would be fighting to stay in the Division and I think we’ll do it.
“But we’re not getting carried away.”
Reed, who has confirmed that he wants to remain in charge at Ossett next season, replaced Craig Elliott last year and inherited a team flying high in the league.
Reed guided them to eighth, but Ossett have failed to replicate last season’s success.
He lost his assistant Clive Freeman in November as well so times have been tough.
“It has been a bit topsy-turfy,” said Reed, looking back at the past 12 months.
“When I came in last year and to finish eighth was a fantastic effort and it is a bit like how Harrogate Railway are doing this year.
“With us having such a low budget it has been very difficult to attract players.
“How players I have tried to get here and have said no and then have gone to play at a lower standard has been unbelievable.
“That Toolstation League, good god, we can’t even compete with six or seven clubs in there.
“We try our hardest and that’s all we can ask.
“It was a blow losing Clive, but to be fair to (player-assistant) Dave Merris, he has taken the challenge on and done fantastic.
“I’ve enjoyed it here and for the last two games Lee Broadbent, the vice-chairman, has been in the technical area giving me a little bit of help.
“You see teams bringing two or three people and I’ve stood there on my own and it is not nice.
“You need someone to bounce off. I’ve been in the game 37 years so I don’t need someone holding my hand.
“But on Saturday we made it 2-2 and I was going to make two subs straightaway, but Lee put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘I’d leave it for five minutes’.
“We did and the kid who I was going to bring off went and got the winner. It is great to have him there.”