Smith Points To Experience As Pitmen Slowly Build Promotion Push…
Hednesford Town boss Rob Smith has spoken of his enjoyment at watching his side slowly build a run of form that, much like in previous years, could see the Pitmen have a serious chance of an unlikely play-off berth come the end of the season.
The Keys Park outfit travel to struggling Colwyn Bay tomorrow afternoon having lost just one game in nine since November and currently sit fifth in the Vanarama Conference North with Smith praising the experienced spine of their squad who have really stepped up in recent weeks.
Club captain Darren Campion recently marked his 200th appearance in the black and white of Hednesford with fan favourite Marvin Robinson also in superb goalscoring form, rolling back the years after scoring three in the last three games.
‘It’s been great to see a lot of players reaching milestones, it shows me that we have good consistency in the squad which is vital for success and that the players enjoy being here.
‘Marv is a perfect professional and an example to all the younger players in our team. His attitude is exemplary but more importantly he really looks after his body. He is in great nick and is like a new signing for us right now.’
Despite a difficult start to the campaign, beset by injuries to key first team players and marquee summer signings, Smith admits that building momentum ready for the final push into the spring is something his side are thoroughly enjoying at the moment and don’t feel under great pressure.
‘Despite our position at the moment, I just don’t see our games as cup finals at all yet. The season is long and it’s not until you get to March when games become ‘must win’. We are just enjoying putting together some sort of run after the season we have endured.’
Hednesford’s opponents tomorrow have struggled through the winter months, winning just one in their last ten, but Smith is wary of the test the Welsh outfit will present to a Pitmen side that lost 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in October.
‘Every game in this league is as hard as the next one. It doesn’t matter whether we are playing Fylde or Hyde. When Colwyn Bay came to our place they were excellent so we know travelling there will be very tough.’
The visit to the Red Lion Foods Stadium will be made more difficult with midfield creative influence Jamey Osborne serving a suspension, along with fitness doubts over Paul McCone, Richard Batchelor and Jack Thomas, but Smith will surely take heart from the influence exerted by, if not the old, then definitely the experienced guard, of Campion, Dan Crane, Ben Bailey et al.
