Club desperate to climb the league table

Sheffield FC host play-off chasing Stamford eager for a return to action after a frustrating start to the year.
Mark Shaw Sheffield FCMark Shaw Sheffield FC
Mark Shaw Sheffield FC

Club saw their last home fixture against Spalding United washed out and with no scheduled fixture last weekend, it meant Mark Shaw’s side have not played sine the 2-1 victory at Stocksbridge Park Steels on New Year’s Day.

“It’s going to be tough because we’ll need to get our legs going again” said Sheffield boss Mark Shaw.

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“We’ve put in some extra training sessions so our fitness levels will be good but it can’t match playing 90 minutes of football.

“We’ll need to get into the game quickly although we don’t want to put too much emphasis on what we do early in the game, it will be about getting some early touches on the ball. It’s important that we don’t allow Stamford to come at us and dictate things.”

Shaw was pleased that their third from bottom position hadn’t worsened during their inactivity. He said: “Results have been good for us; we could easily had been at the bottom. The fact that we’re not and have games in hand means we can now start to try and climb the table.

“It’s a fresh start for us. We want to reach that 40-point mark as quickly as we can and take it from there. We’re looking forward to Saturday’s game and getting back out on the pitch.”

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The two teams shared a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture when James Gregory scored a stoppage time equaliser after Club had been reduced to 10 men after Richard Adams had been sent off.

Stocksbridge Park Steels travel to lowly Kidsgrove Athletic looking to get their play-off push back on track.

Steels were held to a 1-1 home draw by play-off rivals Cleethorpes Town last weekend when the visitors grabbed a stoppage time equaliser.

It left Chris Hilton’s side without a league win in the least six which sees them down in 10th spot in Division One South and five points behind Stamford who occupy the last play-off spot.

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Stocksbridge have drawn four during the six-match winless run which Hilton recently admitted had cost his side dearly as they slipped out of the top six.

However, the trip to fifth bottom Kidsgrove presents Steels with the opportunity to get back on the winning trail once more.

They beat the Staffordshire side 3-2 in November when they had led 3-0 inside the opening 40 minutes. Kidsgrove have since won just two of the last nine league outings but showed their battling qualities once again last weekend when they came from 2-0 then 3-1 down to draw 3-3 at Loughborough Dynamo.

Frickley Athletic entertain play-off chasing Leek Town knowing three-points could see them go second in the table if Bedworth United fail to win at Cleethorpes Town.

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Spence Fearn’s side of been in excellent form of late and will go into the game looking for a sixth league win on the spin.

In the Premier Division, Shaw Lane take on third from bottom Halesowen Town at Sheerian Park as they go in search of a first win of 2018.

The Ducks were held to a disappointing goalless home draw against lowly Whitby Town in the last outing which followed on the heels of a 4-2 defeat at Farsley Celtic.

FIXTURES: Premier Division: Farsley Celtic v Buxton, Shaw Lane v Halesowen Town.

Division One South: Frickley Athletic v Leek Town Kidsgrove Athletic v, Stocksbridge Park Steels. Sheffield FC v Stamford.