Worsbrough Bridge hope victory is turning point after poor start
■ ■ Church through in Vase after shoot-out then win 6-0 in league Athersley Rec defeated in both league and cup fixtures
WORSBROUGH Bridge ended a rotten run with a 2-1 win at AFC Wakefield in NCEL Division One.
Worsbrough were winless in nine, losing eight, since the opening week of the season, whereas Wakefield were fourth.
Coach Luke Forgione said: “We’re not happy with our start, in regards to points. But we don’t feel the league position reflects our performances.
“In a couple of games we have been beaten heavily but we have been on the wrong side of some close games.
“The boys have stuck together and the chairman has believed in us.
“We have changed how we want to play and recognise that, in the situation we are in, we need to compete a little bit more. We have been a bit low on confidence because of form. We’re battling more and trying to grind results out until we are out of this position.
“Hopefully things will come together now. I don’t think we’re a bad team.”
Forgione had hoped to replicate or better last season’s mid-table finish but Bridge are second-bottom with seven points from 11 games.
“Our priority is to get out of the relegation zone.
“I don’t know how long it will take because it’s a really competitive league.
“I do have a points total in my head which I think will keep us in the league. We will look to get to that.
“At the moment we’re a relegation team and we need to have the mentality of a relegation battle but prove we are not a relegation team after 40 games.”
Connor Glavin put Bridge in front after 19 minutes but former Barnsley youngster Jayden Sandhu made it 1-1 two minutes later.
Glavin netted the winner from the penalty spot just before the hour.
Forgione said: “It’s a good win. They had been on good form. We played well.
“Wakefield like to keep the ball so they always ask questions of you but we were disciplined, organised and carried a threat. The boys showed plenty of character. We could have made it 3-1 then had to hold on at the end. We have won one game and we can’t get carried away.”
Athersley Rec went out of the FA
Vase with a 2-0 home loss to Armthorpe Welfare.
They then lost 2-1 at Harrogate Railway in Division One on Tuesday. Kai Hancock put the Penguins in front but the hosts netted twice after the break.
Penistone Church won on penalties at
Maine Road in the FA Vase on Saturday.
The hosts took the lead but Tom Brennan levelled before the break then Church won the shoot-out 4-3.
Kieran Ryan, Jordan Coduri, Tom Charlesworth and Nathan Keightley netted from the spot.
They are due to visit St Helen’s in the second round on October 22.
Manager Stephen Lenthall said: “It was a great win but it was not the best performance. We went 1-0 down and totally deserved it.
“The second half performance was a little bit better, there were more positives but it went to the lottery of penalties.
“It made me proud that every one of the lads offered to take a penalty in the shoot-out. They were all there for the club, and they all wanted to do it.”
Church then won 6-0 against Eccleshill United at home in the NCEL Premier on Wednesday. Jordan Coduri scored twice with Kieran Ryan, Eddie Newsome, Nathan Keightley and Brett Lovell also netting. They are now fifth with 15 points from eight games.