Sheffield FC and Stocksbridge Park Steels chase wins

Club made it five wins on the spin with a 4-3 victory at Tadcaster Albion on Tuesday evening to go third in the table, six-points behind leaders.

Gavin Smith’s side go into the game with an eight-point cushion over the play-off chasing pack but a victory at Morpeth would have the Sheffield faithful dreaming of automatic promotion.

Smith acknowledged it was an important game and has little doubt about the task facing his side said. “It's a massive game but one the lads are really looking forward too. We will need to be at our best because Morpeth are a very good team, hence why they have been top of the table more or less all season.”

Smith was delighted to have chalked up another three-points but felt it should have been a more comfortable result at Tadcaster.

“We made hard work of it, to be honest, we should have been four up at half-time. The match official didn’t help, I thought they were awful but we’ve come away with the points and that’s what matters.”

Stocksbridge Park Steels Chris Hilton boss is set to ring the changes for the visit of second-placed Brighouse Town to Bracken Moor.

Hilton was left fuming after the 5-0 home defeat against Pontefract Collieries last weekend and says that level of performance will not be tolerated.

“The players have to decide whether they want to play for this football club” said Hilton. “They showed nothing, no desire and no heart, it was men against boys.

“We got what we deserved, you can't play like that against any team let alone a team that is third in the table. Pontefract did what they needed to do and were clinical.

“What really frustrated me was that when we went three down inside the first half hour, it looked like the players had thrown the towel in and were happy to accept defeat, there was no urgency. “We’re like a Jekyll and Hyde side at the moment, in the win at Pickering we did everything we didn’t do against Pontefract, got tackles in and put our bodies on the line.”

Hilton position as manager is not under any threat.

“I’ve spoken to the chairman and there is no pressure from the club. They can see the hard work, time and effort the management team are putting in. But it's about results because the club cannot afford to go down.

“When the team goes out on the pitch they represent me and last week ‘s performance was totally unacceptable. Brighouse are similar to Pontefract, a big strong physical side. There will be changes because we have no option but to shake things up, we’re not scoring and not defending properly. The good thing is that only a couple of points cover five teams, so two or three or four wins and suddenly your nearly half way up the table.”

Recent new signings strikers James Morris and Danny Frost could start with Kane Swinburn likely to be given a recall in midfield.

Brighouse arrive with just one defeat in the last 14 outings in league and cup.

Frickley Athletic will be eyeing up a top-ten place when they host Lincoln United at Westfield Lane. Martin McIntosh’s side are unbeaten in seven and know three-points could lift them to seventh in the table if other results go their way.

Fixtures.   

Premier Division: Lancaster City v Buxton, Matlock Town v Farsley Celtic.    

East Division: Frickley Athletic v Lincoln Utd, Morpeth Town v Sheffield FC, Stocksbridge PS v Brighouse Town.