Toolstation NCEL Division One
Ben Hunter admits if Rossington Main finish in the play-offs, the achievement would rank as the club’s greatest.
Fifth-placed Rossington occupy the final play-offs spot with only ten games ago.
Rossington have never finished above seventh since joining the NCEL in 1991 so Hunter says his club’s progress is fantastic.
“If we scrape in (the play-offs) and finish where we are, it would be obviously the biggest season Rossington has ever had,” Hunter told Non League Yorkshire.
“This is from long-serving committee members.
“We had the semi-final (in the Sheffield Senior Cup) which we unfortunately lost 2-1 to Worksop Town but it has been a great season.
“That’s what is all about.
“It is about the journey,
“This is our first full season managing.
“We came seventh in the league last year when it was curtailed so we’re building something.
“We want to be in the play-offs, that’s our goal but it is the goal of maybe 12 teams in the league at the minute.
“It is that tight and anybody can beat anybody.
“We’re trying to build something positive for the future and something for the community of Rossington – there’s a lot of exciting stuff on that front.
“It is about building a platform and if we can get in the play-offs, it is anyone’s game in a one-off game.”
The final furlongs are tough for Rossington as fellow challengers Retford FC, Harrogate Railway and North Ferriby are three of the opposition.
Other tough tests against the likes of Armthorpe Welfare and Parkgate are around the corner too and Hunter agrees that it will be difficult.
“It is cliche but we do look at each game at a time,” he said.
“We’re in control, that’s the main thing I’ve let the players know.
“If we average two points a game (from now until the end of the season), I think we’re in there because of who we have to play to that.
“We’ll be taking points off teams (around us) if we do get results.
“It is all to play for but it could either way.
“I’d say we have put ourselves in a great position but we have a very tricky run-in so that’s not looking in our favour.
“But as I said at the outset, I back ourselves against any team if we bring our intensity that we can bring.
“People won’t want to play Rossington so I think our chances are good and that’s because of the hard work of the lads to get us into this position.”
But Hunter is keen to point out that his side relish playing in the big games.
“We back ourselves against anyone,” he said.
“Going slightly back to the Brigg game, they are a good team, well-organised and we were obviously gutted to lose in the last few minutes.
“But those are the games we want to play in – teams who are in and around us and have had good seasons as well.
“Retford are a well-organised team and hard-working and we know what we’ll get from them.
“Harrogate are on a fine run of form and the management team have done a great job there.
“We’re exactly where we want to be.
“We want to be in the mix and I believe we’re punching above our weight.
“We have a really young team but on the same front we also have a really talented team.
“We have got through a really tricky spell on bad pitches and in bad weather.
“Hopefully as move to the latter parts of the season, the pitches might to start to pick up and that’ll help with how we play as well.
“Things are very positive in the camp at the minute, it is in our hands.”
Rossington visit FC Humber United next Saturday before heading into March where they have eight games crammed into their schedule.
Hunter says he is scanning the player market to ensure his squad has the depth to cope with the gruelling run of fixtures.
“We’re having a look around to bolster a couple of positions,” he said.
“We are happy with the squad but a lot of things can happen.
“We have a low number in the squad and in our last game against Selby we only had 14 fit players.
“We’re losing our centre-half Gary Mundy to suspension for the next three games.”