Toolstation NCEL Division One
On the brink: Hemsworth Miners Welfare and Wayne Benn are four wins away from the title
The defeat at AFC Emley has provided a “wake-up call” for champions-elect Hemsworth Miners Welfare, Wayne Benn has said.
The loss has kept the champagne on ice for the time being, but Hemsworth are still on the brink of securing the title and promotion to the Premier Division as they only need four more wins.
The perfect opportunity to turn that into three is tomorrow as struggling Rossington Main visit Fitzwilliam. Benn, who hopes to have key players Sam Jones and Danny Critchlow available for the clash, is not under-estimating Rossington though.
“We wanted to go to Emley and win by putting on a performance because it gets you one step closer,” Benn told Non League Yorkshire.
“The Emley defeat has probably delayed things slightly, but we can’t take liberties and think we only have to turn up for the next couple of games and we’ll win.
“Rossington are scrapping for their lives so I don’t expect an easy game. You can make things easier for yourself by the way you approach games. Hopefully the Emley defeat is a wake-up call and currently that is something we will be speaking to the lads about.
“I think we were complacent and outplayed at Emley and I think they wanted it more than us. We got what we deserved, but in 34 previous games we got what we deserved and we are where we are because we’re a good side.
“But when people have to me ‘you’re almost there’, I’ve said ‘we’ll celebrate when we’re over-the-line’ and not until then.”
In the past ten days, Benn has given one of the club’s young players a chance on the NCEL stage. Josh Bucknall, a former Rossington player, made his debut in the win at Worsbrough alongside fellow young defenders Harry Viggars, Cameron Clark and Adam Wilson.
Benn was delighted with Bucknall and has pledged to hand further opportunities to other young players in the next month, if Hemsworth wrap up the title in time.
“The defence at Worsbrough must have had an average age of 18 and I thought they were outstanding,” he said.
“You certainly wouldn’t put such a young defence in against the likes of Emley, but we felt it was the right game to do it. The pitch was difficult, but we dealt with it in the right way.
“I was really pleased for young Josh Bucknall who came to the club two or three months and has been doing well with the under 19s and development side.
“He didn’t let us down as he was outstanding, along with Harry, Adam and Cammy.
“Maybe one or two faces that we have signed on, but never had the opportunity to use, may appear before the end of the season. We have a good young goalkeeper who is maybe deserving of a chance.
“But let’s get over-the-line and secure promotion and the title before we look to give one-or-two who have been in-and-around the squad, a bit of game-time.”