Nick Handley believes Pontefract Collieries have got their best chance of promotion in recent years
Nick Handley believes Toolstation NCEL Division One leaders Pontefract Collieries have positioned themselves for their best chance at winning promotion in recent times.
Pontefract, who travel to second-placed AFC Emley tomorrow, have been the perennial challengers for a number of years, but have always fallen short.
Handley and Duncan Bray appear to have built a side capable of going all the way this time around and they added further quality with the signings of George Conway and Lee Bennett last week.
Handley said: “Obviously it is nice to look at league tables and see yourself top of the league.
“There is always that pedestal because people always want to knock you off it.
“We talked to the lads about it being hard work to get there. It is going to be harder work to stay there and that’s our ultimate aim for the rest of the season.
“I think this is the best position we have ever been in to get promoted from my five years here.
“It is a really good squad as well and probably the best we have had in four or five years and we have had some great players.
“It is a manager’s dream to add Lee and George to their squad. When they agreed to come it made our day and it is pushing the lads on.
“It is a great chance to get promoted, but we are not naive. There are some big games coming up. We have Emley, Shirebrook, Bottesford, Clipstone all to play again.”
All eyes are on the Welfare Ground for the battle of the top two, but Handley admits it is not make-or-break for either Pontefract or Emley.
“It would be wrong for me to say it isn’t a big game because it is a big game,” he added.
“Yet it is just another game. We are going to go there and treat it like any other game.
“It won’t be the end of the season for either club. I hope it is not a boring 0-0 draw like last time, let’s hope it is an entertaining game.
“I think it is the fixture of the day if you take out the FA Vase replays.
“We’ll go there for the win. We’re not going there to sit back. We’ll respect Emley, but hopefully we’ll play well.
“If somebody wins, it is a big win. If someone loses, you have to bounce back, but there are still plenty of games left.”