Knapper rues poor return from festive fixtures

There was no Christmas joy for Rainworth Miners Welfare despite their improved displays in the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League, writes Gordon Foster.

The First Division South club's joint managers John Knapper and Ian Robinson could only shake their heads in disbelief after the Wrens returned empty handed from two Christmas fixtures they had largely dominated and their breathing space above the relegation zone was whittled away to almost nothing.

Two 2-1 defeats, at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels and then at Carlton Town on Boxing Day, left the pair wondering just what their side has to do to put some much needed points on the board.

Rainworth were not helped on Boxing Day by a controversial penalty that led to Carlton equalising, a decision that left normally mild-mannered Knapper, pictured, seething although he was still happy to credit to his players for the performance.

He said: "This was the second game in a row which we should have won but have got nothing. This was one of our best performances for a long time. We looked solid, we created chances but obviously a key decision has gone against us, and these decisions affect the outcome of games.

"I've never in my life been a shouter at referees, so I will say no more on that now, but we all know that when you are down there the luck tends to go against you, and obviously we have missed a penalty which would have restored our lead.

"But Robbo [Ian Robinson] and I can't say too much because the lads have given us 100 per cent, and they know themselves that we should have won this one. What we have said to them is that if they keep on performing as we just have we will be OK, but the lads have got to believe that themselves."

He added: "We've just got to raise the spirits again and keep on going, and we'll go into our next game on New Year's Day at home to Sheffield with the same attitude and the same desire."

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