Hotchkiss hoping Ryhope can take Vase form into league campaign

Midfielder Olly Hotchkiss believes that Ryhope CW’s FA Vase run can help ignite their league form over the coming weeks.

Gary Pearson’s side have made a solid start to their league campaign and currently sit in 13th place in the Northern League Division One table after winning three of their opening eight games.

Despite their underwhelming league form, Ryhope have shone in the Vase with a First Qualifying Round win at 2015 winners North Shields and Saturday’s 2-0 win at a Garforth Town side that put Shildon out of the FA Cup earlier in the season.

The latter win was even sweeter for Hotchkiss as it came against a club where he had two separate spells earlier in his career.

The former Leeds United and Mansfield Town midfielder is hopeful that his side can build on their impressive form in the Vase by moving up the Division One table.

He said: “We have been excellent in the Vase and we have come through two difficult ties without conceding a goal.

“That is giving us a bit of a platform and it shows that we can have solidity to our play.

“Winning at Garforth was a real boost – and obviously it was special to me because they are a former club.

“But for the club as a whole it was a big win because teams from outside of the North East always want to do well against Northern League teams in the Vase.

“The challenge now is to take that form into the league over the next few weeks and try and get ourselves into the top six or seven of the table.”

Ryhope’s reward for their progress in the Vase will be a First Round home tie against North West Counties League Premier Division club Ashton Athletic.

The Yellows have beaten AFC Darwen and Liversedge to set up their trip to the North East and Hotchkiss is already looking forward to the tie.

“It’s a home tie and that is massive for us,” he explained. “It won’t be easy and we know there is extra incentive for clubs to beat Northern League sides because of the league’s history in the Vase.

“We have done a little bit of research on them already and we won’t look to much into their league position because it’s still very early in the season.”