Shelley boss keeps eye on future of club

FURTHER WORK IS BEING PLANNED AT STAFFLEX ARENA HOME

ASH BERRY isn’t pressing the panic button in the wake of Shelley’s 4-1 midweek home defeat by Nelson.

But with one eye already on next season, the manager says he will be monitoring individual performances more closely than ever – starting with today’s match at Holker Old Boys.

Huddersfield’s Hallmark Security North West Counties League club are planning further development work at their Stafflex Arena base over the summer.

And long-serving Berry, who oversaw the move up from the West Yorkshire League last year, is determined to provide a team to match the surroundings up Storthes Hall.

Shelley head to Barrow-based Holker in ninth place in the First Division North, 26 points behind leaders Longridge Town and 23 above the relegation zone.

And Craig Billington’s penalty against Nelson was the top scorer’s 23rd of the season and the club’s 50th in 29 league games.

“If you take the season as a whole, we have done okay, with 11 wins and the same number of defeats so far,” said Berry.

“But we have lost our way a little since December, and unless we can string some wins together, that’s probably cost us the chance of finishing in the top six, which was our aim at one stage.

“With nine games left, a place in the top 10 is perhaps a more realistic

We’ve lost our way a little since December and it could cost us a

top-six finish

target, and I want to see an allout push to get as many points as possible.

“Our initial objective on moving into the North West Counties was to