Wombwell Town hopeful their pitch will recover for Rec derby
Town forced to call off two home matches this week Rec recovery stalls after they suffer back-to-back defeats
WOMBWELL Town hope to welcome local rivals Athersley Rec next Tuesday but only if the rain does not return following two home postponements in a week.
Town’s lead at the top of Division One was cut to one point this week as Wakefield AFC picked up a win on Saturday and Karl Rose’s side had two matches called off at home.
They could leapfrog Town should they win tonight before Rose’s team return to action away at Harrogate Railway tomorrow.
“You can only worry about yourselves,” said Rose.
“If you had offered us this position at the start of the season then we would have ripped your arm out of the socket.
“We have had an amazing start and the players have stepped up.”
Rose’s side are also preparing for the hosting of Athersley Rec on Tuesday in the League Cup.
Rose said: “So long as it’s sensible weather and not torrential the game will be on and we look forward to that derby game against Rec.
“We got a bumper crowd of 500 against them earlier on in the season on a Friday night. I don’t think there will be as many this time but it will still be a good occasion.
“They have had a change of direction with the new manager and have brought in a few players. Hopefully they will continue to pick up points and pull away from the bottom.”
Rec were turned over 3-0 at home against Clay Cross Town on Saturday. Two late goals from the visitors enhanced the scoreline. They then lost 3-1 against Louth Town on Tuesday.
They were 2-0 down at the break before Khalid Suleiman got one back and then Louth restored their two-goal advantage.
Premier Division Penistone Church
chucked away a 2-0 half time lead away at Pickering Town last Saturday.
Goals from Leon Hurles-Brook and Antony Brown put them in a commanding position but Pickering struck with 20 minutes to play and then twice late on to nick the points.
Manager Steven Lenthall said: “We started the second half on the front foot, dominated for twenty-five minutes, we created a few good chances and we could have been several goals up.
“We got the second goal to go two-nil up and then we thought we’d shut up shop. I’m not bothered if we win two-nil, three-nil or four-nil, we just had to see the game out and we didn’t do that.
“For their first goal they got a corner and we switched off from marking players. I don’t understand that. It’s a basic error that has let them back into it. The second and equalising goal again was down to basic defensive errors. The third one just topped it off.
“To concede two goals in the last three or four minutes to lose the game is heartbreaking, I’m not going to blame the defenders because we created fifteen or sixteen chances in the game today, in future we have to take more than two.”
Church then lost 3-1 on Wednesday in the League Cup against Campion.
Again late goals proved the difference. Antony Brown gave Church the lead after 17 minutes but they were pegged back before the break before two late goals from the visitors.
Division One Worsbrough Bridge’s match against Armthorpe Welfare was postponed on Wednesday.
Their home game on Saturday against Selby Town was also called off.