North West Counties League First Division North
Injuries and suspensions are haunting Roy Mason so that’s why he wants to bolster his Steeton squad.
Steeton – who to head to giants Bury AFC for some Friday night football tomorrow evening – secured their first win of the season on Bank Holiday Monday against Campion but Mason was only able to name two substitutes due to late drop-outs, injuries and suspensions.
For instance, captain Jerry White was one notable absentee due to being banned following his red card for being part of the recent ruckus with Golcar United.
“We looked at the Blackpool game on Saturday and through injuries and suspensions we had ten players missing,” Mason told Non League Yorkshire.
“You can’t account for that at this level because no-one carries big squads.
“We drafted in a few of players (Joe Snowden, Harris Khan and Ben Sharp) in from the reserves but it is a big ask for them to go from the first division of the West Yorkshire League at 17-year-old to the North West Counties.
“We felt needed that little bit more and we’re always on the lookout.
“I would certainly like to add a bit more experience, particularly the midfield because that’s one area where we are a little light in numbers.
“We brought in a couple last week.
“We brought Ben Kendall in because we felt we needed some experience.
“He is an old fashioned dogged defender who talks and leads the line at the back very well.
“He has been excellent for us.
“He’s 36-years-old but we have some very good young players in this team.
“We also signed Jonas (Ndombasi) and Kian (Dewhurst).
“Kian came on Saturday but unfortunately the trip from Clitheroe is a little bit too far for him so it is something he can’t commit to.
“I’ve been on the phone in the last week to virtually every manager you can think of in the West Yorkshire just trying to bring in one or two.”
Steeton had opened with three draws and three losses until dispatching Campion.
The Chevrons had come close to winning on several occasions but late goals had been their achilles heel.
“The win has been coming for the last few weeks,” Mason said.
“We have not been playing badly in any of the games, it has just been our decision making and game management which has really cost us.
“I said to players before the (Campion) game that if you look at the points tally we have should have had, we’d a top six side.
“Nobody has turned us over this season.
“The games we have lost have been close, apart from the Nelson game where we were poor.
“I was confident that it was going to turn around.
“It wasn’t easy on us when we had three pull out on us on the morning (of the Campion game) meaning we had a make-shift side.
“Having two on the bench at this level is a difficult one.
“All credit to the players who were involved as they were magnificent.”
If Steeton were magnificent on Monday then they’re going to have to be sublime if they are going to get anything out of the Bury game.
But they can take heart from last year’s battle when two Tom Greaves goals in second half stoppage time denied them an incredible victory.
“If you can’t go to a ground where there is 1500+ people and can’t enjoy the occasion then it is time to pack in playing football,” Mason said.
“These are the type of games we all want to be involved in on a week to week basis.
“I think we go there with nothing to fear.
“We have got the win we needed (against Campion) and I’m confident we can go and give a good account of ourselves.
“In terms of (last year) the score-line was closer than what the game was because Bury had a lot of chances and possession.
“We expect it to be the same this year,
“We may have to adjust and tweak a few things.”
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.
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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.
