Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Luke Potter admits Hemsworth Miners Welfare are finding life tough at the moment because of multiple absences.
Hemsworth went to Knaresborough Town with a threadbare squad and were duly beaten 4-0 at Manse Lane.
Harry Viggars (illness), Kane Swinburn (injured) and Ben Walker and Bruce Fernando (suspended) were already missing before the Wells lost key striker Layton Swaine to Pontefract Collieries on Friday afternoon.
Although frustrated, Potter admits that it is not all doom and gloom.
“We are waiting for injuries and illnesses to clear up really,” Potter told Non League Yorkshire.
“(On Saturday we were missing) Harry Viggars, Kane, Ben Walker and Layton before he went, they’re big players for us.
“They’re the spine of the team and four of our better players.
“Everyone is saying the same that is hard getting the same 16 together.
“We have played three games and made five changes for each of them because of illness, injuries, covid.
“There’s nothing we can do, it is just frustrating.
“We have to get on with it.
“I don’t think we’ve had a bad start though.
“We have picked up two draws and one loss and looking back we should have definitely had one win from our three games as we should have beaten Barton.”
Hemsworth hope to have some of their absentees back for tonight’s home clash with Sherwood Colliery.
Since speaking to NLY, Potter and joint manager Luke Danville have been boosted by the return of Seon Ripley on dual-registration terms from Ossett United.
That’s one positive and the pair will hope to also see a massive improvement in the side’s defending this evening.
“We’re up and down like a yo-yo and inconsistent with our performances,” Potter said.
“I thought Tuesday night (against Barton Town) we deserved to win comfortably.
“Against Redcar (in the FA Cup) we gave sloppy goals away and we did the same on Saturday (against Knaresborough).
“I don’t know if it is a mental thing of switching on-and-off or lack of confidence when we concede one goal.
“We’re not quite sure but the lads who played on Saturday are experienced to learn from (the previous Saturday at Redcar).
“We said after the game on Saturday that there becomes a point where we can’t keep defending them.”
Potter also admits the loss of striker Swaine was a big blow.
“Layton was pivotal to what we had worked on but we’ll never stand in the way of a kid who wants to play higher,” he said.
“We wish him all the best and you can’t fault his desire to play higher.”
If you have enjoyed reading Non League Yorkshire over the past few months, please consider making a donation to the not-for-profit organisation NLY Community Sport which provides sport for children and adults with disabilities and learning difficulties. CLICK HERE to visit the JustGiving page. There is a video at the bottom of the page showing our work.
NLY Community Sport, run by James Grayson and Connor Rollinson, has always had combatting social isolation at the top of our objectives when running our Disability Football teams.
Our work is playing an important role in reintroducing our players, who have disabilities and learning difficulties, back into society.
We have six teams, a mixture of Junior and Adult teams – Nostell MW DFC, Pontefract Pirates, Selby Disability Football Club and the South Yorkshire Superheroes (Barnsley) – across Yorkshire.
We have enjoyed great success over the past three years. Several of our players have represented Mencap GB in Geneva, including Billy Hobson from Selby and Greg Smith, whose story is quite inspiring.
You can learn more about the organisation HERE and on our Facebook page.
Watch the video below to see highlights from our three years as an organisation. The video was produced for our players at the end of March to remind them of good memories from the last three years.
