Toolstation NCEL Division One
Craig Denton has calmed the excitement at Hallam but he does admit his club can see the chequered flag in the race for the title.
Because of a ridiculously high goals difference, Hallam can all but guarantee the title and promotion back to the Premier Division for the first time since 2011 if they beat Armthorpe Welfare tomorrow and Worsbrough Bridge on Tuesday.
“We’re extremely close to it,” Denton told Non League Yorkshire.
“After beating Selby and Ferriby, we had a window of games (against Rainworth Miners Welfare and Teversal) which we had to win.
“Now we have four games left.
“I think Armthorpe is going to be a really tricky one.
“(Lee Morris) has recruited really well and they don’t concede that many goals and Worsbrough are similar.
“We have to make sure we are lot better against Armthorpe than we were against Teversal.
“We have to make sure our start is right and we have to make sure we don’t concede sloppy goals.
“After Worsbrough, we have Clipstone and Teversal.
“I’m not expecting Ferriby to drop any points so the pressure is on us to continue to win games and stay in the top spot position.
“I could play it down as a manager but realistically as a football fan I would say Hallam are very close (to the title) but we can’t get carried away.
“We have to keep our feet on the ground and take each game at a time.”
Armthorpe and Worsbrough clearly represent tough challenges but many will take the view that Hallam cannot fail to win the crown as their final two games are against doomed pair Clipstone and Teversal.
Denton, who is very close to joining Paul Marshall (Goole AFC and Tadcaster Albion), John Reed (Hatfield Main), Mick Horne (Stocksbridge Park Steels) and Marcus Newell (Cleethorpes Town) on the list of managers who have won both NCEL Divisions, added.
“We need two wins and with our goals difference, that sets us up,” Denton said.
“I’m a football fan and if I’m looking in from the outside it would be a disaster for Hallam to effectively throw it away.
“We’re in the driving seat and we have done lots of hard work prior to these four games.
“A season is not defined in four games, we have had to work to get into this position by working extremely hard.
“We have to make sure we see it out with professional performances.
“I would say we’re not good enough to just turn up and play expecting to win.
“Nothing is won yet but I think it is ours to throw away and we have to keep focused.”