Glos County Resurgent Hanham hopeful of beating the drop
TOM Morgan is adamant “winning mentalities” are keeping rejuvenated Hanham Athletic on course to accomplish the “great escape.”
Although they host near-neighbours Bromley Heath United tomorrow still gazing up at every other Marcliff Gloucestershire County League competitor, Hanham’s hopes of at least lifting themselves off a bottom position they’ve become so accustomed to have been raised significantly by three straight victories.
That’s reined in English Bicknor immediately above them in the table, who they overcame 4-2 three weeks prior in a crucial basement bout, to such an extent that only a two-point gap now separates the sides, with the Bristol-based battlers’ chances of ultimately overhauling Bicknor enhanced by having played two games fewer than the Forest of Dean strugglers.
Hanham are also preparing for the possibility two teams will be relegated, and that presents a much greater challenge, as third-bottom Henbury hold an eight-point advantage over Morgan’s men who have played two games more than the Arnall Drive outfit.
Which is why the Vicarage Road manager emphasised: “We’re looking to win every one of our last six games. The encouraging thing is that the way the lads have been performing of late, there’s a belief that we can achieve that, however tough it will be. There’s a good stability about us now. Aside from our winger Joel Hall’s knee injury picked up at Bicknor, I’ve been able to field a settled side. We’ve also had an influx of experience and know-how in the shape of players like Karim Rendall, who has scored seven times across our last three games, helped by hat-tricks in each of our last two.
“Karim came to us largely because he’s a friend, and a former Hillfields team-mate, of our forward Paul Coles. Another wellknown striker around these parts, Brandon Barnes, began the season with Bitton in the Toolstation Premier Division, having played for Weston-super-Mare and at a strong standard in New Zealand and Australia.
“Like Karim, who has also played a lot at a higher level, Brandon’s been banging in the goals for us; and the pair have been linking up really well as our main frontline.
“I also signed Jamie Gregory, a young, solid centre-back and another who has performed at a higher level with Keynsham Town where we got him from, and Matt Curnock, a central midfielder I played alongside at Oldland and Keynsham who has shown energy and drive since joining us from Welton Rovers.”
Casting a keen, yet cautious, eye over the challenging scenario his Hanham hopefuls face over that critical six-match run-in, Morgan said: “There’s always a chance two teams will go down each season. All we can do is keep going and believing. No one would have given us a prayer of beating the top team,
Shirehampton, 4-2 as we did at the start of our three-game winning run, or of thrashing Quedgeley Wanderers 5-1 as we did at home on Saturday.
At the other end of the table, the enthralling fight to claim the County League championship rages on unabated, with leaders Shirehampton, jubilant 1-0 home winners over Frampton United on Wednesday night, hosting Little Stoke at the Creek, and secondplaced Wick welcoming Ruardean Hill Rangers to Oldbury Lane.
Rockleaze Rangers host Frampton at Hillside Gardens, while Patchway Town and Henbury travel to take on Broadwell Amateurs and English Bicknor respectively.
All games kick off at 3pm.