EV2 Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
Penistone Church Reserves manager Scott Briggs says failing to finish in the top five would be unthinkable considering the fantastic start they made to the season.
Church came into 2022 as a title challenger and the favourites for the Association Cup.
However, the campaign has fallen apart as five consecutive defeats since the beginning of March have left them clinging onto fifth place.
They also crashed out of the Association Cup.
“The title is gone and I feel the first thing we need to do is go and get a win before we do anything,” Briggs told Non League Yorkshire.
“That’ll get that bit of belief back and hopefully go on a little run.
“Saying that, we do have Dodworth and Swinton to play along with Sheffield Town away on a Monday.
“To not finish in the top five would be disastrous because back at Christmas we were talking about challenging and people were saying ‘is anyone going to stop you’?”
Church won 11 out of their opening 13 league games, only losing to Wakefield AFC.
For Briggs, a rookie boss after succeeding Steve Lenthall last summer, it was a dream start management.
Now he’s struggling to a finger on where it has gone wrong.
“The team picked itself in the first half of the season,” he said.
“We had the togetherness but that loss against Eccy Red Rose (in early March) sunk us.
“We have been absolutely brilliant throughout the season until March.
“We were sitting pretty in the league in second with a game-in-hand and a point behind Swinton and in the semi-final of a cup you think you should be winning.
“We lost 3-0 to Eccy Red Rose and then we got old-manned at Stocksbridge who had a side of 18-year-olds.
“The confidence has gone and they need it back.
“We have lost the spark and a bit of togetherness.”
Penistone will visit Ecclesfield on Saturday.