Staveley MW bounce back in style with big win at bottom club Athersley Recreation

Brett Marshall's men had seen a nine-minute 3-0 lead evaporate into a late 4-3 defeat by Eccleshall United the weekend before which had alarm bells jangling as they headed for bottom side Athersley.

But the return of two key players and a good performance all round saw them home to three crucial points.

“We changed it slightly shape-wise and made a couple of personnel changes to fit in around that shape – and we looked a lot more solid,” he said.

“We created chances as we have been doing but out of possession we just looked a lot more rigid and structured.

“We did have our captain Pat Lindley and centre back Will Eades back. It's the first time they've been back in four to six weeks and they do make a difference, both being very experienced NCEL players.

“It gives us a bit more discipline and they are very vocal too, which helps rather than all the vocals coming from the bench.

“We have been a bit quiet, especially when we've been on the back foot.”

Sam Kay put them ahead on 34 minutes with Declan Howe adding a second on 42 minutes. Tomas Poole netted the third on 66 minutes and Howe bagged his second in the last minute.

“It was a decent result and we will now see what happens going forward,” said Marshall.

“It could have been two or three after half an hour to be fair and, not to be arrogant, it was always a case of when we were going to score rather than if.

“Their keeper had pulled off a couple of good saves and there were a couple of last ditch tackles.

“We played some nice, attractive, pacey football and it was a good display. We had 75 of the 90 minutes where we were well on top.

“They had a little spell just after half-time which you'd expect when you go in down.

“We did have some nervousness, which is understandable, but we withstood that and in the 75 minutes where we were on the front foot we score four goals , had another good goal, in my opinion, disallowed, and four or five quality chances plus good ball retention.

“They were bottom of the league but how many people go there with the wrong attitude and don't get the result. I was looking at the way we approached the game.

“We were nervous. I told them to keep calm go out and do what we can do and, out of possession, just be a bit ore solid. We got the result and move on.”

On Saturday Staveley host Penistone Church and Marshall said: “Over the last four or five years they have been a consistent and well organised side and it will be a good game.

“We are cat home, we want to take the game to them and we just want to get a few points over the next few games and keep putting numbers on the board.

“Every time we let games slip we come out of them with nothing at all.

“Against Silsden and Eccleshill, if you take 10 minutes of football away we'd have another six points and be fourth or fifth. That's a fact.

“It's fine tuning we need. If we can do that going forward we will start putting a lot more points on the board a lot quicker than we have so far.”

On Tuesday night Staveley were pipped 1-0 at Garforth Town by a Kevin Terhaerdt goal on 45 minutes.