Kennedy urges speedy resolution to Sandy Lane changing room repairs

Jon Kennedy says the sooner the changing rooms at Sandy Lane are up to scratch the better it will be for Worksop Town.
Worksop's Jon KennedyWorksop's Jon Kennedy
Worksop's Jon Kennedy

Tigers were dealt a blow when the NCEL called their match against landlords Handsworth Parramore, scheduled for Saturday 11th February, off on Friday morning.

A statement issued by the league sited the flooring in the changing rooms “had been found to be unsafe” and postponed the match due to “health and safety reasons”.

The league also ruled that no further NCEL matches will be played at the ground until the matter had been resolved but had been assured it would be this week.

Kennedy, Worksop’s interim manager and caretaker Craig Denton, decided to give the players the weekend off with no fixture until Saturday 25th February at home.

Kennedy said: “I got an email from Paul Stacey saying the league had called the game off due to the state of the changing rooms and the referees changing rooms.

“It’s strange. I’ve played for and against Worksop for many years and they’ve always been know to be in that state, so I don’t know why in particular it happened to be this week.

“They’re no different to what they were to the start of the season. It’s mainly to do with the flooring. It’s not on a base, it’s on stilts when you look at it.

“There are four joists. It looks like the wood has worn away where the water has been leaking and the lining has split, so it was only a matter of time before someone went through.

“It’s up in the air who has to take care of the repairs but until it’s sorted out neither of us can play any games. The sooner they come to an agreement the better.”

Parramore are scheduled to play a NCEL Premier fixture at Sandy Lane this coming Saturday (18th February) at home to Thackley.

The league have confirmed the match between Tigers and Parramore will now take place on Wednesday 15th March (7.45pm kick off), providing the repairs are completed by then.

And, with another blank Saturday this coming weekend, Kennedy has got the players in for training with a return to action next week.

“The lads are enjoying playing their football and because it’s a smaller squad everyone is getting used to playing together,” he said. “It’s the same every week which has not always been the case.

“There’s a good little team spirit building there and all of them want to finish as high as possible. Kyle (Jordan) and (Adam) Scotty have got a race on to see who will be the top scorer.

“They’re both aiming to get 20 goals by the end of the season so there are little incentives within the team to finish as high as possible.”

Jordan and Scott are neck and neck in the race with 16 goals each and Kennedy is pleased with their contribution, as well as that made by fellow striker Mitch Husbands.

Husbands has eight for the season, including three in his last four.

Kennedy added: “When you’ve got two strikers and a winger trying to push the 20-goal a season mark is really good if you want to challenge for anything.

“Handsworth I think had two players who got 80 goals between them last year. With this, we’ve got three players who can chip in with 20 or more each.

“Craig (Denton) and myself can’t really plan for anything beyond this season. We know we’ve got until the end of the season and then it’s up to the club.”