'˜So much can still happen' in title race says Shaw, but only wins will do for Worksop Town

But should things not go entirely to plan, he’s calling on everyone at the club to stick together and present a united front.

Tigers suffered a big blow to their promotion hopes with a 4-1 defeat at title rivals Tadcaster Albion on Saturday.

Shaw doesn’t believe it was a fatal blow, but he does admit dropping more points is not an option.

And he highlighted Tadcaster’s narrow win over struggling Pontefract in midweek as evidence that nothing is a foregone conclusion in the NCEL Premier.

“The message from me to the players, and it has to be reinforced by the supporters, is that we now look at the title race and see how many wins can we get,” he said.

“Nothing but wins will do, nothing but success will do.

“Even though we’re disappointed, we’re still in it – it just shows with last night’s result, Tadcaster’s last minute win over Pontefract, there’s so much that can happen.”

“Handsworth have brought in a National League North striker so they’re going for it.

“From our point of view we need total cohesion from everyone at the club, we need to be a united front – even if things are not going right.”

Shaw will be ensuring the players keep striving for the title, and the promotion that goes with it.

“It’s the second season in a row we’ve been fighting for a title in this league, after what we’ve been through, but we need to give more,” he said.

“The staff and I are trying to give more, we want the players to give more.

“We want to be in the race, and the last three months of the season is the home straight.

“We know we’re up against bigger budgets so we all need to stand together, the players, staff, officials and supporters and try and make this season a success

“Eighty per-cent of the teams are out of the race, but these young lads are still in it.”

Only Andy Ofosu and Jamie Hadfield are injury doubts for this weekend’s visit of second bottom Armthorpe Welfare.

And Shaw’s side have been boosted by the arrival of Lawrence Gorman, who made an impressive debut at Tadcaster.

The manager is delighted to have scured the right-back’s services: “We brought Lawrence in because we know he will improve us as a group.

“That shows we can bring in Evo-Stik quality players.

“He’s an ex England youth international and started at Nottingham Forest, he plays the right way.

“We’ve also had Alex Nightingale come in recently, he fits the mould of what we’re trying to do we’re looking at players who fit the Worksop mould and we’re still talking to some targets.”