Ossett Albion boss Richard Tracey says his team hope to secure survival rather have to rely on a reprieve
In-form Evo Stik Division One North side Ossett Albion are aiming to complete the great escape properly rather than rely on a reprieve, insists Richard Tracey.
Wakefield FC announced on Monday that they have been forced out of the NPL after failing to find a suitable ground for next season, while Cammell Laird also look set to leave the Division.
However, bottom-placed Ossett’s survival is far from certain as the FA are understood to have stipulated that the bottom club will be relegated regardless of events elsewhere.
Ossett are five points adrift of safety, but have lost just once in their last seven games and their recent form has given them a chance of propelling themselves out of the drop zone.
Albion play Burscough at Dimple Wells tomorrow – the first of four games against fellow strugglers, Radcliffe, Wakefield and Padiham – and Tracey says they want to put their destiny in their own hands.
“The minimum we want to finish is third from bottom,” the Ossett manager told Sports Performer.
“We can’t rest on our laurels and wait for a reprieve. It takes a little bit of pressure off, but I don’t want people to take their foot off the gas because the momentum we are generating has to be a catalyst for the club.
“It has been a tough situation for four or five years now and the club have been reprieved on a number of occasions and nothing has changed to move forward.
“You can probably look back four or five years to find out when the club last won 75% of their recent games.
“We are aware that the FA have said that the bottom club will be relegated regardless of what happens elsewhere so the message is ‘don’t finish bottom’.
“At the end of the day we have an opportunity with the games we have got on the back of our current form to make sure it’s not case (that we finish bottom).
“If we win tomorrow we’re two points behind Wakefield with them to play at home. Absolutely it is in our hands and that’s how it needs to be.
“The last thing we want is to be relying on a reprieve.”
Albion began their impressive run in late February when they drew 1-1 at Northwich Victoria. They have since beaten Salford City and Cammell Laird alongside another draw with Northwich and a stalemate with New Mills.
Their only defeat in that run was a 2-0 loss at champions-elect Curzon Ashton. It has given them hope and Tracey added: “In the last seven games we have had one defeat – against Curzon who scored their second goal in the 87th minute – and that shows the belief we have had all season that we had the quality.
“We’re still short of goals, but the run has shown that we are a club that can compete at this level. The only thing is: is it too late (to stay up)? That’s the issue we have got.
“But, four home games and an away game at Ossett Town is not a bad way to finish. We’re not running out against Curzon, Warrington or Farsley, we’re talking Radcliffe, Burscough, Wakefield, Padiham and Ossett.
“We need to win four out of them five to give ourselves a chance. We can’t win one or two because as you’ve seen New Mills will pick up a win, Wakefield will pick up a win.
“We have every confidence in the lads. Looking at the run we have had, we have kept three clean sheets in the last four. We’re defensively sound as anyone in the league at the moment.”
Richard Tracey has praised the impact of assistant manager Eric Gilchrist (pictured)
Ossett have been bottom since mid-October and their recent revival has been helped by the return of legendary manager Eric Gilchrist as Tracey’s assistant in January.
Gilchrist was the Albion manager for over ten years until his resignation in 2011 and Tracey admits that his assistant’s input has been vital.
“Eric coming back has made a massive difference,” he said.
“Not in terms of taking training, not in terms of team selection, but in terms of having a sounding board.
“A different voice in the changing room makes a whole load of difference. Getting someone in with the experience Eric has, has been unmeasurable for myself and the club.
“Him coming back has helped us with player recruitment because someone can take training while the other goes and watches a game.
“In that period we have brought in Ryan Laight from Worsbrough, Liam Schofield from Emley and Caldon Henson back from Radcliffe.
“It has enabled us to go out and recruit because we have had the time to do it.”