Mark Greaves believes Eccleshill United are heading in the right direction
Crowds are up, his team can score goals and getting better each week so for Eccleshill United manager Mark Greaves the signs are good.
The post-RIASA era has begun well considering that Greaves only had two players after taking the job in May.
Big wins over Grimsby Borough, Dronfield and Winterton Rangers have ensured a stable start to the Toolstation NCEL Division One season so Greaves is happy.
“I think the club is moving in the right direction on and off-the-pitch, certainly from my point of view,” Greaves told Non League Yorkshire.
“With the squad I’m working with and their attitude, I think we are going in the right direction.
“I would say in senior adult football it is the best group of lads I have worked with because of their attitude, willingness to listen and willingness to develop.
“We have improved each week.
“We will score goals and we have worked hard on what we do when we haven’t got the ball.
“The lads are learning pretty quickly. We have put a side together that only had two players from last year.
“We have had a decent run of fixtures, but we did have an eye-opener at Hemsworth. The lads got a shock because of how well they played.
“But, we just want to push on.”
Eccleshill now face the second of two huge tests tomorrow as they travel over to promotion-hopefuls Hull United, just a few days after the 3-1 defeat to Bottesford.
Hull boss Curtis Woodhouse and his assistant Ian Ashbee were in the crowd for the game as Eccleshill were undone by clinical finishing.
Despite the defeat, Greaves saw positives.
He said: “It was disappointing to lose at home, but it was probably our hardest test since we played Hemsworth.
“We have had a few easier fixtures on paper since, but we definitely performed a lot better than we did against Hemsworth.
“We’re learning as a unit. Bottesford are strong, disciplined all over the park and you can tell that they’re a good unit that has played at this level for a long time and even higher.
“A massive plus was how we improved from Hemsworth because we hid. We stood up on Wednesday and it was more fine margins.
“For example at 0-0, Ben Hardy goes through and has a heavy touch. Then 37 minutes when we’re holding them, the lad gets in at the front post.
“In the second half their lad scores a worldly and we miss one from six-yards out. Bottesford are a good side, but I don’t think they outplayed us.”
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