Refreshed Tigers gearing up for Bottesford visit

Worksop Town manager Ryan Hindley. Picture: Chris Etchells

Hindley and his team were left frustrated when Tuesday night’s scheduled fixture at Thackley fell foul of the weather - but believes his squad will be well served from the rest.

And they will need to be on their mettle against a Bottesford side who have won four of their last five in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

But Worksop have been on good form of late too; recently embarking on a seven-game unbeaten league run of their own and a hard-fought draw at rivals AFC Mansfield Town last time out.

Hindley said: “We put a lot into that week with a fantastic victory over Dunston (FA Vase) and a very well-earned point at AFC Mansfield, so the lads could do with a bit of a break.

“A 10-day break isn’t ideal but we’ve had a couple of walking wounded in the squad that are now getting to where they need to be.

“We’ll have a couple of hours on the grass tonight (Wednesday), a good workout and then people should be ticking over and ready.

“I know they’re all working hard. They send me their runs every couple of days and I can see that they’re working hard.

“They’ll all be champing at the bit to get back out there. It’s a grueling schedule and at times playing Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Wednesday it can be unforgiving.

“You pick up knocks as you go but now they’ve had 10 days of rest and recuperation while still working hard and you miss football when you don’t play.

“So Saturday, whatever team we send on the grass, people will be champing at the bit to go out there and perform and get three points that we need.”

And manager Hindley is pleased with the shape of his squad at present.

He added: “We are in a decent place at the minute. We’ve got a good and settled squad of about 20 players that I believe are the ones to take this club to the next level.

“Whether that be this year or next year.

“The focus is now getting the shape right which I believe we have got and getting the players to fit that shape. We look solid - conceding once in their last two.

“They’ve (Bottesford) always been a bit of a thorny side but if we take the same level of performance, work rate and application into the game then we’ll win it.”