Worksop Town defender happy with progress following COVID recovery

Worksop Town wing-back Connor Smythe believes he has performed well after missing the first few games of the season due to testing positive for COVID.
Connor Smythe missed games at the start of the season after catching COVID.Connor Smythe missed games at the start of the season after catching COVID.
Connor Smythe missed games at the start of the season after catching COVID.

Smythe enjoyed a great pre-season, however, on the eve of the campaign he tested positive, meaning he missed Worksop’s first two games.

But the defender instantly returned to the side and has performed strongly in recent weeks.

“I was disappointed with testing positive for covid in the week leading up to the start of the season after doing five-six months of doing pre-season work,” he said.

“The lads won one and lost one whilst I was away and I have come straight back in and I feel fine fitness-wise, it is just about getting back up to match pace; the first game against Eastwood was probably me getting back my match fitness and over the last few weeks I have felt good.

“I know my game is setting up goals and my job is to provide assists for the team, getting out wide and providing assists for the team as you may have seen against Eastwood and tonight [against Tadcaster], taking set-plays and with each set-piece, I know my aim is for us to score from it.

“I am happy with how I am playing, I feel good, but the most important thing is getting points on the board and, at this moment in time, if we are wanting to achieve what the group and I want to achieve, we must turn these draws into wins and climb that table.”

Worksop welcome Hebburn Town to the Windsor Foodservice Stadium on Saturday.

Smythe has called for Worksop to start the game emphatically to gain some consistency.

“We have to keep being positive as a group and we need to come out of the traps,” continued Smythe.

“For the first 15-20 minutes, we must come out flying, high tempo, on the front foot, be positive, create chances and put those chances away.

“We know as a group that we have a lot of quality in there, but we need to turn that quality into points quick.

“I have played against Hebburn Town a few times and they are a typical northern side.

“They will make the game difficult; they have quality up top, and we must be right at it – as you have to be during every game in this league if we want to take three points from each game.”