Toolstation NCEL Division One
Notorious poor starters Glasshoughton Welfare have enjoyed their best points return from the opening eight games since 2018.
The Welfare are eighth with 14 points after eight games and only two points outside the play-offs so it is hardly surprising joint manager Darren Holmes is a happy man.
Although he admits Glasshoughton aren’t the finished article.
“We have to be very pleased with the start of the season when compared to the last few seasons but our standards are high and feel we should have more points on the board given the chances we have created,” Holmes told Non League Yorkshire.
“Scoring goals is a bit of a problem this year so far.
“Losing two 15/20 plus goal-scorers (Nathan Perks and Mark Ferguson) over pre-season was a blow and difficult to replace but we have lads who have stepped up and working hard so the goals will come I’m sure.”
Glasshoughton target the top five or six every season and but have only managed to reach that target during 2017/18 campaign.
This year they can march on with the confidence that the positive start gives a chance to achieve their goals.
“Without a doubt we have had a good run of fixtures for the first five or six games and other than Brigg which was always a tough opening game we thought they were all winnable,” he said.
“I thought we were unlucky at Brigg too.
“Having said that we still feel we are not playing that well and when we do finally click as in previous seasons we are hoping the good start will push us on to have a better finish.
“Like most teams in the league we have our sights set on the final play-offs place.
“It is wide open this year and other than three or four teams who we could pick now for the top four.
“It is going to be down to who can put a run together and pick points up from poor performances and see games out when you get their noses in-front.
“Our back four is doing a great job so far and clean sheets are a must if we want to stay in-touch.”
Glasshoughton are chilling this weekend as they have no game.
Their next fixture is the trip to Worsbrough Bridge on Tuesday night and Holmes confirms they made have some new faces in their ranks.
“We are always looking to strengthen as all managers are if the right players come available,” he said.
“We don’t play until next Tuesday so that gives us time to hopefully bring one or two new players in.
“I’m sure everyone is the same as lads are taking late holidays and spending time with families so we do need a bigger squad and and it will give other players the chance to grab a shirt.”
Glasshoughton will go looking for a second consecutive victory at Worsbrough having beaten winless Dronfield Town in midweek – a match Holmes felt Welfare shaded.
“Yes I do think we deserved the win last night,” he said.
“I thought we created some very good chances and could have been one up after 5 mins.
“Obviously goals change games and I think we would have gone into to win very convincingly if that had gone in.
“While Dronsfield were still in the game at 0.0 they obviously thought they could get something from the game and worked really hard to do that.
“Thankfully we did get things going and scored two very good goals.
“Credit to Dronsfield for their work rate and I am sure will start to pick up points in the next few games.”