NCEL: Knaresborough Town given 40-point challenge for second half of campaign

Boss Paul Stansfield has set his Knaresborough Town 40-point target for the second half of the season.
Knaresborough Town hammered Rossington Main 5-0 on Saturday (Photo: Craig Dinsdale)Knaresborough Town hammered Rossington Main 5-0 on Saturday (Photo: Craig Dinsdale)
Knaresborough Town hammered Rossington Main 5-0 on Saturday (Photo: Craig Dinsdale)

Knaresborough ended a run of five games without a win in emphatic style on Saturday as George Eustance scored a brace in the 5-0 thumping win over Rossington Main.

That victory hauled Knaresborough back into the top half of the table, ahead of a run of easier matches before Christmas.

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Stansfield has had mixed feelings over the Manse Lane club’s 30-point haul in his opening 20 games as manager, and called for an improvement in results before the end of the season.

“After this Saturday’s game we will have 21 more and we are looking to get 40 points in the second half of the season,” the boss said.

“I don’t think that’s unrealistic to get ten more points than we have in the first half.

“From there, we would be hovering around the mid 70’s mark, and who know what would happen.

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“I want to see progression in the second half of the season and for us to turn over some more teams.”

AFC Emley finished in fifth-place – the final spot for the newly introduced play-off system - on 84 points last season, but Stansfield feels the mark could be lower in a more competitive league this year.

“It’s going to be a big ask but we want to set an aspirational total,” he added.

Boro are without a match this Saturday the league gave them special dispensation for players to attend former captain Matt Duerden’s wedding.

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Duerden announced his retirement earlier this season after breaking his arm against Dronfield in August. Stansfield revealed his has yet to discuss the possibility of tempting the defender back.

“I haven’t asked him the question. While it’s still raw, I don’t want to know the answer. We will let him have his wedding and his honeymoon first.

“I said at the time that there’s more important things than football. The important thing was for him to get his arm right.”

Stansfield’s men will return to action with a trip to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic on Tuesday evening.