Briggs targets more cup success for Church reserves

Penistone Church reserves manager Scott Briggs

Scott Briggs wants to follow in Steve Lenthall’s “footsteps” and lead holders Penistone Church Reserves to more success in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Association Cup.

Church are the current back-to-back winners of the competition having won it in 2018 and 2019 under first team head honcho Lenthall.

The second triumph is memorable as the final was held at Hillsborough.

Briggs hopes his men can win it for the third consecutive time in 2022 but he knows they face a huge test at Athersley Rec Development (kick off 1pm) in the quarter-final tie.

“I wasn’t involved with any of the Association Cup wins with Penistone,” Briggs told Non League Yorkshire.

“I’ve only played in it with Stocksbridge but seeing all your friends and mates winning it at Hillsborough, it obviously would be nice to do it again and keep hold of the cup.

“(Winning it two years on the spin) is a tremendous record.

“It would be nice to follow in Lenny’s footsteps, especially with the club doing so well (at the moment).

“It is always a tough game when you go to Athersley, no matter who you are playing.

“I know and the lads know they’ll be in for a battle so we have prepared them right for it.”

Penistone’s Jack Moore has been in great form this season

Briggs, who is now in sole charge as joint boss John Whitehead is now the first team assistant manager, is thrilled how his first campaign has gone.

Church are second having won seven out of nine and Briggs puts it down to the team spirit.

“I think the table tells a story and we are up there because there is togetherness in the changing room this year,” he said.

“They are willing to play for each other rather than themselves.

“We have had some tough games.

“We won 1-0 against Wakefield in front of 500 people under the lights on a Friday night.

“We scored just before half-time and we managed the games whereas in years gone by we probably would have lost or drawn.

“Then Wombwell on Saturday, we went 1-0 down in horrible conditions and out of the blue we got a goal and then the winner.

“I pick up the team but the players do the rest and it is down to them.”

A success story from the reserves has also been the emergence of Eddie Newsome in the first team.

He is flying and Briggs says the three senior teams at Church are working well together.

“Lenny may ring me on a Thursday night and say ‘we’ll struggling…can you help’,” he said.

“So I’ve given him players and I’ve had to ask him for a couple.

“On the other side we have the development team who play on a Saturday morning and like-wise their manager rings me if they need someone and I do the same to him.

“I had a couple of weeks where I was struggling for the bench so I got the young ones on their team to go on the bench for a bit of match-day experience.”

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