Toolstation NCEL Division One
Surprise league leaders Rossington Main are “enjoying the moment” according to Ben Hunter and are well-aware it will be an almighty challenge to pull off a fairytale ending.
Yes you have read that right. Rossington are top.
The club who have never finished higher than seventh in Division One in their 20 years in the NCEL are leading the way ahead of giants North Ferriby, Hallam and Brigg Town.
Saturday’s dramatic last minute win at Swallownest propelled them to the summit and Hunter says there is a real feel-good atmosphere around Oxford Street.
“One of the committee came into the changing room (after the Swallownest win) and shouted ‘we are top of the league, we’ve never been top’,” Hunter told Non League Yorkshire.
“He’s been there for 30 years.
“There’s a big buzz around the club now we’re top and it is nice.
“We’re definitely enjoying the moment but we understand there’s an awful long way to go.
“We’re 100% overachieving at the minute and for us to see it through and go up or even get to the play-offs would be absolutely unbelievable.
“That’s what we are all working hard for.
“It would be something that would be totally unexpected.
“You keep mentioning the three-or-four teams that are expected to be up and (looking at the table) you almost have to double take.
“I was talking to Nathan Jarman and he was like ‘I cannot believe Rossington are top’.
“It is great and we’re starting to get bigger crowds.
“I played for Ferriby when they were the old Ferriby so I know all about that club and they are a great club.
“They have the infrastructure to be three or four leagues above.
“We’re massive underdogs and we’re definitely punching above our weight.
“I’d say on paper that we are probably a mid-table team in terms of facilities, staff, potentially budget.
“But I wouldn’t change my squad.
“There are a lot more experienced squads out there but I’d back us against anyone on our day.
“We drew against Ferriby and we beat Hallam away which I think was a big moment in the season just for belief for the lads.”
If Rossington were to stay ahead of the chasing pack and lift the title then arguably it would be almost like Leicester City winning the Premier League.
Speaking about targets for the rest of the season, Hunter admits the play-offs are more realistic.
“Teams around us have a lot of firepower,” he said.
“We don’t fear anyone, it is just whether we can be consistent enough.
“We do play a unique style of football in this league.
“We play out from the back and those are my principles and we stick to them.
“It is whether we can get through November, December, January and February and figure out how to adapt it slightly.
“I think in terms of targets you’d hope to hang on and try and get into the play-offs but there’s a long way to go.”
Hunter also cites team spirit as a factor behind their success so far this season.
“I have been in the role three years now and we have had two curtailed seasons and we have a good reputation for good football,” he said.
“We were capable of beating anyone on our day in those first two years but I have brought in a couple of players I’ve played with in the past and they have brought in that experience that we were missing.
“Everyone is here for the right reasons and I think we have a good culture and you can see that.
“We have an 18-man squad and everyone is backing their friends and I feel there is a family spirit and you need that against the so-called big boys in the league.
“Let’s see where we go with it.
“We’re not getting carried away but we are going to enjoy it.”
Hunter’s biggest achievement of his reign so far is his “player pathway” which has been hugely successful.
The Rosso boss’ recruitment strategy is largely based around signing players who have been released from Football League academies with the view of pushing them back up the pyramid.
He has already helped Elliott Walker move onto Stocksbridge Park Steels while Adam Watson and Manasse Kianga now belong to Worksop Town.
“We graft and we are a young, fit and hungry team and what I have tried to do is create a pathway,” he said.
“I’m from Rossington originally so the club means a lot to me.
“It is a community club and that’s why I am there.
“We have created a pathway where we get young kids in who are quite good but are at risk of falling of the game after getting released from an academy.
“We give them a platform to play on and then move on.
“Last season we had three-or-four players move on and they’re playing as high as Step 3 now.
“You can see what we’re doing.
“I feel we give them good coaching and we’re giving them everything to a, help us and b, genuinely help them.
“We won’t hold any player back from moving on and that’s what we want because it allows us to go and recruit the next person and say ‘look at this person, he played for Rossington and now look what he’s doing’.”
Rossington host Parkgate tomorrow.