Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Jason Dodsworth has hailed Handsworth’s young guns who have stepped up to the first team in the last few weeks.
Dodsworth and Aiden Spowage have been forced to deploy some of the club’s under 21s due to injuries to the likes of Ben Teasdale, Leon Howarth and several others.
Apart from the draw at Hemsworth Miners Welfare and the defeat to Goole AFC, the wins have continued to flow and Dodsworth has been thrilled with the youngsters.
“We are still in a good position in the league and we have had a lot of injuries and I know a lot of clubs has had a lot more than in any other season,” Dodsworth told Non League Yorkshire.
“I don’t know whether the pandemic has had something to do with that I don’t know?
“We have had five 18-year-olds or under in the squad week after week and sometimes three of them have started.
“It is a testament to Simon (Rogers) who is doing a great job with the under 21s.
“They’ve come in and stepped up and kept the results going for us.
“We’ve had Jake Baldwin, Sam Essien, Rion Arbouin and Kieran Bagnall and they’ve done nothing wrong and it is a credit to them.
“It is a huge success story for the club.”
The Handsworth joint boss has also praised star striker Mitch Dunne for staying at Olivers Mount despite advances from elsewhere.
“The main one is what everyone will know about that and that’s Mitch Dunne who has been on fire this year,” he said.
“We’ve definitely had three seven day notices on him, maybe four and he’s turned them all down.
“He’s happy, he’s scoring goals and he’s playing really well.
“Credit to him because he could have easily gone but he’s happy where he is.”
Handsworth travel to Silsden tomorrow.