National League/Evo-Stik: Farsley boss Lakeland banking on points plundered

Farsley manager, Adam Lakeland. PIC: Farsley Celtic FC

Sports are hovering just outside the Evo-Stik Premier Division play-offs, having played more games than their rivals. And Lakeland said: “We have to win quite a number of the games that we’ve got remaining, but if you actually look at the teams around us, whilst they’ve got games in hand, a lot of them are against each other so pretty much every weekend something’s going to give.

“I’ve been in this situation before when I was manager at Northwich where we were behind Warrington by about five points and had four or five games in hand. These divisions are tough and there are no ‘gimmes’, so you’re better off having points on the board than games in hand because you end up playing so many fixtures towards the back end of the season that it can become very demanding.

“We do need to collect as many points as we can from our remaining games to give ourselves a chance of getting in the play-offs, but we’ve still got plenty of games left and lots of points to play for and I’m sure that the players will be kicking themselves and that they’ll put in an improved display on Saturday.”

In Evo-Stik North, Ossett Town hope to kick on from their first victory since the turn of the year last weekend when they travel to Glossop North End, while Tadcaster Albion face a tough trip to promotion-chasing Clitheroe.

Elsewhere, Ossett Albion play their first outing in two weeks when they entertain Ramsbottom United, while Brighouse Town welcome Radcliffe Borough looking to keep up their recent upturn in form.

Second-placed Frickley Athletic will be looking to fend off a very tight promotion-chasing pack, with Spencer Fearn’s men facing a play-off-chasing Corby Town side who have lost four league games on the bounce.

Simon Weaver’s Harrogate Town are also looking to keep their strong promotion hopes on course in their next National North outing at home to AFC Telford, while play-off outsiders Bradford Park Avenue look for a first win in four when they travel to Nuneaton Town.