Toolstation NCEL Division One
Leon Sewell remains “confident” Hall Road Rangers can get their campaign back on track.
Sewell had hoped Hall Road would mount a push for the play-offs.
After three wins from eleven fixtures, Hall Road are well off the pace and need a run of wins quickly to get themselves back in the mix.
Sewell also points out that Hall Road have struggled to field their best eleven on a regular basis and that has hurt his side.
“There’s no denying that it has been really disappointing start,” Sewell told Non League Yorkshire.
“it hasn’t gone to plan which is frustrating.
“We are all in it together and everyone knows what the aims are – getting in the top half and pushing for the top five.
“It will be a challenge and it will be tough but there’s no point setting easy aspirations.
“When you look at the grand scheme of things; we had no Rich Medcalf for two weeks due to concussion.
“We haven’t had Conner Harman since we played Selby away (in mid-August).
“He started at Nostell and got 90 minutes so that’s a big plus point.
“We haven’t had Chris Spinks for two weeks, he’s back Tuesday.
“Nathan Walker hasn’t been involved since we played North Ferriby.
“Tom Bennett played two games and then his hamstring went against Clipstone.
“We’re nearly at full strength but on the other side of it; Rich Medcalf came off with a hamstring (against Nostell) and Danny Norton came off with what looks like ankle ligaments.
“There’s a lot of food for thought and I am positive about us turning the corner.
“I have worked with a lot of these guys for a long time and I know when the chips are down that they will stick together and pull us out of the mire as they say.”
That’s not to say Sewell isn’t planning shaking things up.
He has already delighted the masses by bringing back 2017 title-winning manager Dave Ricardo back as member of his backroom staff.
“Dave and I have known each other for best part of 20 years,” he said.
“We have played together at the likes of Hall Road, Winterton and Beverley Town.
“We speak quite regularly, even though Dave hasn’t been in the game (for two years).
“I know Dave has the club at heart and he’s been there and done it.
“Yeah he is a character but he knows his stuff and that’s what we need.
“That’s the first change that has been made and I’ve pre-warned the players that more changes will be made.
“We’ll freshen things up.
“Players will come in and players will go out and that’s just part and parcel of it.
“We’ve told the players ‘if you don’t do your job, don’t expect to play’ and that’s how it is.
“We have to find the right formula to turn the corner and produce a winning performance.”
Hall Road bid to end a run of two consecutive defeats tonight when they host Shirebrook Town at Haworth Park.
“We can’t get any consistency,” Sewell added.
“Winning is habit and unfortunately we’re on a losing habit.
“We’re in a rut and we’re all working to turn the corner because it has to happen sooner or later.
“Tuesday night will not be easy.
“It will be a tough game.
“It is quite nice to know a team out of town is travelling a long way to come play us as right through August we were away every Tuesday night.
“They’ll have to contend with the travelling and work commitments.
“We’re at home and home is where we have made it a tough place for the opposition to come to.”
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.