Toolstation NCEL Division One
Penistone Church manager Ian Richards
Ian Richards says third-placed Penistone Church are loving being part of the promotion race and are not feeling the heat.
Others have recently talked about pressure of being involved in the battle for the two automatic promotion spots, but Richards claims that his team have done well to be there and shouldn’t be losing sleep.
His comments come ahead of the big game with second-placed Pontefract Collieries in Penistone tomorrow.
“We’re doing alright, we’re doing well to be in the promotion mix,” Richards told Non League Yorkshire.
“There’s no pressure on us, we’re thriving on being in the promotion race. It is a great place to be.
“I’ve said to the lads that if they take care and enjoy it, things will take care of itself. We got back to it after the Emley game with two convincing wins. The feel-good factor is back and everyone is buzzing.
“The Emley game was about nothing more than three points. Other people hyped that game up and that’s fine. It is the same on Saturday. We’re on equal points and equal games with Pontefract so it is just three points in February.
“We still have other difficult games ahead, not just with the teams around us. We have to go to Knaresborough. Selby.
“We are going to approach the Pontefract game in the right manner, go for three points, but if we don’t get them we’re not going to let it affect us.”
Penistone Church striker Andy Ring, pictured during the FA Cup tie with Pontefract last season, had to play 120 minutes on Wednesday night
If Penistone do turn up looking tired, it won’t be because they have been losing sleep, it will be because the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup tie with Hallam on Wednesday night went to extra-time.
Church trailed at half-time, but veteran Andy Ring equalised and Scott Whittington went onto win it with two minutes of extra-time to go. It was a repeat of their League Cup win over Clipstone seven days earlier.
“We did what we did last week by coming from behind to win in extra-time in the 118th minute,” he said.
“It is credit to the players because they are showing that fitness, desire, resilience and character to keep going to get back into it and then go on and win it.
“I was disappointed in our first half performance. We didn’t play the conditions or the team in front of us. We didn’t play in the right areas and didn’t nullify the threats from set-pieces.
“We didn’t clear our lines either. We tried to play out from the back when we should have got it forward and played in their half. I said to the lads after that coming in at half-time a goal down did us a favour because it could have been easily three and no way back.
“The second half response was exceptional. We played in the right areas and kept the ball going forward. We picked up the seconds and put them under a lot of pressure. It paid off with the equaliser. Joynesy almost won it in normal time too.
“The lads dug in during extra-time and to score the winner like we did from the corner was really pleasing.”
Richards also expects his experienced players, Ring, Brett Lovell and brother Duncan to be fit and ready for Pontefract, despite the marathon cup tie.
“I knew they still had some life left in them,” Richards joked. “My brother Duncan is 35 and he’s done 120 minutes as well. Brett joked that he was going to sit in a hot bath for the next three days to make sure he’s alright for Saturday.
“The fitness levels aren’t a problem. I gave them Saturday off because we didn’t have a game and I was slightly regretting it in the first half, but it paid off in the long running.
“It isn’t ideal that it went to extra-time, but I’m sure we’ll be ok.”
Dale Kelly is still out for a few weeks, while bad boy Ryan Johnson is suspended for three more matches.
Ben Rhodes and Ryan Smith who were both cup-tied for the Senior Cup game are both expected to return.