Wrens look to build on massive result

HAVING well and truly upset the form book at Coalville Town on Tuesday night, Rainworth MW are hoping they can carry that form into Saturday’s quest for more Evo-Stik NPL Division One South points at New Mills.

Wrens fans were left delighted but also wondering ‘where did that performance come from?’ as they came from behind to thump the Ravens 5-1 on Tuesday – a result which improved their ‘goals for’ record in the league by fully 20 per cent in 90 short minutes, having scored only 25 all season until then.

It was a performance and a result which put smiles on faces within the Kirklington Road club and among its fans – smiles which broadened still further when it transpired that other results had also gone for them.

Speaking after the game, manager Kevin Gee beamed: “It was the first time for some while that I’ve had pretty much a full squad available, and that has made a massive difference. I’ve left three first team players out and we’ve gone back to how we like to play.

“The defence was magnificent, but we needed to win a game and the whole team has reacted superbly.

“Our destiny is in our own hands, and we are now 11 points clear of the bottom two who both only have six games left to make up that difference.

“Today, though, was not just about winning, it was even more about the way we played, and every player in the starting-up carried out his instructions to the letter – just as they had against Ilkeston in the previous match where everything was positive except the result. This time everything was positive again and the result matched the performance.

“Without wishing to single players out in what was essentially a team performance, Romaine Graham was quality and Jermain Hollis settled back in really well. We’ve gone for it, played three strikers, and it’s paid off.

“From the supporters through to the backroom staff, the management and players themselves, everyone is over the moon.

“It was a big result for the club, our destiny is well in our own hands, and now that we are almost safe we want to go on and improve our league position between now and the end of the season. If you end the season well people forget what has gone before.

“The supporters and backroom staff have suffered a lot this season and to hear them really appreciative and getting behind the team as they did tonight was brilliant, and it’s for them that we do what we do.”

After such a display the Wrens will not want an ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ reaction at New Mills on Saturday, and they know that they have it all to do all over again.

The Millers have already beaten Rainworth twice this season, once in the FA Cup, and will certainly not want that to become a triple.

They are an in form club at the moment, but as Gee pointed out: “Coalville were unbeaten in six and on the fringe of the Play-offs. But if we can transfer to Saturday what we have done tonight I can’t ask for more than that.”

There will be at least one enforced change with skipper Steve Kennedy starting a five-match ban which means he will not be available again until the final two matches of the season.

With the transfer deadline edging closer, Gee has not ruled out more new faces.

He continued: “You’ve got to keep on looking to improve the side until you are safe, but we do it within our own budget and our own policy not to break that. Some clubs are throwing silly money to try to survive at this level, but I’m a big believer in getting the right players in for the right value for money in terms of our budget.

“We’ve had a couple of seven-day notices for our players this week, but that’s a compliment to us.

“It’s nice to be told by opposing managers that they can’t believe we are near the bottom of the league, but despite what they say, we are not in a false position because, as everyone knows, we haven’t scored enough goals.

“But if we can go forward from this result and build on what we’ve started to do this year we will be well placed to build for next season.”

After Saturday’s trip to New Mills the Wrens complete their run of five successive away matches at Newcastle Town on Tuesday night before returning to the now unfamiliar territory of home soil next Saturday to take on Kidsgrove Athletic.