Top half of the table the target while Cables gun for runners-up spot
Including tomorrow, we now have seven matches left to play and while the play-offs are too far out of reach, it’s important that we continue to give our all to secure as high a finishing position as possible.
We’ll have a job on our hands, that’s for sure. A trip to basement side 1874 Northwich is sandwiched by tomorrow’s trip to Prescot Cables and a home game with champions elect Leek on Easter Monday. Good job we like a challenge.
Last week’s 1-1 draw with promotion chasing City of Liverpool was a creditable result but it came at a significant cost, as first half injuries to our skipper Tommy van der Laan and Callum Holland meant a reshuffle was needed – the injuries they sustained keep them out of the trip to Liverpool tomorrow.
Jack Sherratt was also injured last week right at the start of the second half, and he is a doubt for tomorrow, so it’s not unfair to say that the cupboard looks a little bare.
Prescot Cables will be after revenge. We beat them 3-0 six weeks ago on a day when we took our chances and they failed to take theirs. A superb performance between the sticks from Slinny also frustrated the Liverpudlians.
For Cables, they know that the possibility of securing a second placed finish – which guarantees a home draw in the play-offs – is in their hands despite a run of form which has seen them win only two of their last seven league games.
That run of results has opened the door to their fellow Liverpool based sides Runcorn, Bootle and City of Liverpool to chase them down, so they’ll be looking to make a welcome return to form by securing an important win tomorrow.
Our gaffer is certainly expecting a tough afternoon. Neil said: “I was really encouraged by our performance last week and we came so close to holding on for a win.
“Obviously, we picked up a couple of injuries and so we’ll be forced to make changes for this game. On the plus side, I’m hoping that Jack van der Laan may be fit again after a while out.
“I thought we coped really well with the disruptions of having to make all our subs within 50 minutes last week and the players I called upon, showed they are up to the challenge.
“The players came off disappointed last week and that’s an excellent sign as far as I’m concerned. A draw against City of Liverpool was a good result, so their reaction tells me they think they can beat any of the sides at the top of the league.”
Beating the better sides has been well within our compass but our inconsistency has come against the clubs in and around us. That’ll need to change next season but for now we deal with the next challenge and that’s Prescot Cables.
Come on ‘Castle!