Toolstation NCEL Division One
Craig Denton ranks Hallam’s mouth-watering trip to fellow promotion contenders North Ferriby as a match of huge importance in the race for the title.
It may be late October but former Worksop Town title-winning boss Denton sees a big opportunity for leaders Hallam to push ahead of one of their rivals.
Hallam are top with 35 points and Chris Bolder’s Ferriby are fourth with 34.
“I think there is pressure on both,” Denton told Non League Yorkshire.
“I think there is pressure on Ferriby to win the game and I think there is pressure on us to win the game.
“You can’t go along and say it is like any other game because it is not.
“You’re playing a team that is expected like ourselves to be up near the top spot.
“It is the same message that I put to the players last Saturday against Selby, ‘if you want to win a league and you want to be up in those top few spots you have to beat the stronger sides around you’.
“North Ferriby are definitely one of those stronger sides.
“If we lost the game or took home a point then it might not be the end of the world.
“If we go and win the game I think it really sets a precedent in terms of what we really want to achieve.
“We know it is going to be certainly a tough day at the office.
“Our lads know if we want to be up there at the end of the season we have to win the game.
“I’m sure Chris Bolder will be saying to the Ferriby players on Saturday that if they want to be up there at the end of the season then they have to beat Hallam.
“It is going to be a great game for both teams.
“I can’t wait for Saturday. We’ve done a lot of preparation this week and we’re building up to a big game.”
The humdinger is a fantastic advert for the league and it is expected to attract a massive attendance.
Ferriby currently have an average attendance of 516 at home while Hallam have 629.
“It really could be an unprecedented crowd,” Denton said.
“Just for the Northern Counties it would be brilliant if we can get 700 or 800 watching.”
Hallam’s path to top spot has been paved by an incredible run of 11 wins and one draw out of the last 12.
Sixty goals have been scored in the process – a magnificent feat and Denton believes his men deserve huge credit.
“You certainly don’t expect to score so many goals,” he said.
“Someone looking from outside at our results they would probably say ‘it is a poor league’ because teams shouldn’t be losing 8-1 or 9-2.
“But that’s taking a little bit away from us and how hard we worked in pre-season, the detail we worked on and the players we recruited.
“Don’t get me wrong, no games are easy.
“This Northern Counties Division One is an extremely tough league and you come up against well-drilled and fantastic sides.
“A perfect example is Selby on Saturday.
“Our dressing room knew what they were all about and we knew if we want to be up at the end of the season then we had to win the game.
“I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of even scoring four or five, never mind eight.
“We’re coming up against good opposition and sometimes it looks disrespectful that we’re scoring so many goals.
“I don’t want to take it away from the lads because of their work rate and commitment.”
But will there be plenty of goals at Ferriby?
“I invited a good friend of mine to the Glasshoughton game because he said we were scoring for fun and it finished 1-1,” he added.
“I won’t do that again!
“We’re looking at going to Ferriby and being hard to break down and to try and score goals and to be aggressive.
“The players we have got will hopefully cause them a problem but I think it will be quite an even game.
“I’m not sitting on fence.
“I know they have bags of quality and they don’t concede that many and they can score and punish teams.
“It will be an interesting but hopefully entertaining game.”
On the transfer, Hallam have signed Callum Swain who has recently moved to the area.
Goalkeeper Alfie Hayes-Daubney has joined FC Humber United.