Gavin Smith pledges patience as Sheffield FC look for home comforts

Sheffield FC boss Gavin Smith says his team must be patient and not panic when trying to break teams down at home ahead of their BetVictor South East Division clash with Glossop North End at the Coach and Horse Ground.
Stocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian HandisidesStocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian Handisides
Stocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian Handisides

Club have won three and lost three of six games at home so far this season, compared to four wins and a draw from seven away.

“We’re finding a lot of teams coming here are sitting behind the ball and trying to catch us on the break,” said Smith. “They know we’ve got plenty of goals in us so come here and try to frustrate us.

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“We have to learn to more patient, make sure we don’t panic and make wrong decisions because chances will come even if it’s late in the game.

Stocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian HandisidesStocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian Handisides
Stocksbridge goalkeeper Ed Hall expected to have recovered from knock in time to face Worksop Town. Picture: Gillian Handisides

“We’re looking forward to the game and if we apply ourselves in the right manner then hopefully we’ll come away with three-points.”

Smith was delighted with the win at Sutton Coldfield in the last outing.

“It was a good result," he said.

“Perhaps a draw would have been a fair result, but I think we had the better chances and also never looked like conceding.

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“When we went down to ten-men for the last 20 minutes or so they didn’t change anything which I think helped us. “

Glossop arrive with just one win from the last 10 league outings.

Meanwhile, Smith quashed speculation that he was leaving the club. “I’m going nowhere at the moment,” he said.

“I’m happy here and have a job to do.

“You don’t always agree with certain things but you have to get your head down and get on with it – that’s football”

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It will be something of a reunion when Stocksbridge Park Steels host Worksop Town on Saturday.

The visitors are expected to include ormer Steels players goalkeeper David Reay, centre back Matt Reay, utility player Ben Rhodes and Steve McDonnell, who recently returned to Worksop after a short spell at Bracken Moor.

“It will make it a little more interesting although are main focus is bouncing back from last week’s defeat and getting the three points,” said Steels boss Chris Hilton.

Hilton had no complaints over the 3-1 defeat at promotion chasing Cleethorpes team.

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“Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you got beaten by a better team,” he said.

“My only disappointment was we didn’t give a good account of ourselves.

“We’ve got a young team so you will get ups and down, you have to expect that.

“But we’ve always responded well when we’ve had defeat so hopefully we can do that against Worksop.”

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Goalkeeper Ed Hall is expected to have shaken off a knock against Cleethorpes. Defender Rob Ludlam is available again but Jordan Lemon missed out through suspension.

Worksop have settled in well following promotion from the NCEL where they are currently tenth, six points behind Steels in sixth.

Handsworth will look to extend their unbeaten league run to four games but will face a stern test against a Staveley MW side second in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.

The visitors arrive in fine form having won seven league games out of an unbeaten eight match run but the face an Ambers side undefeated at home.

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Having seen the last two games postponed, Hallam will be glad to get back on the pitch once again when they make the trip to promotion rivals Campion who are unbeaten in four at home.

The home side sit second in Division One and the Countrymen five-points outside the play-off places. It’s a game they need to take something from.

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