Newark & Sherwood manager Tom Ward taking it one game at a time as team bid to climb United Counties League Premier Division North table
Manager Tom Ward isn’t looking too far ahead as Newark & Sherwood bid to climb the league table.
The Highwaymen started the season with promotion ambitions but a crippling injury list blighted their progress.
They slipped to the foot of United Counties League Premier Division North before beating Blackstones 3-0 on Wednesday last week.
They’re out of the bottom two on goal difference after winning 3-0 against landlords Harrowby on Tuesday night.
They sit 11 points outside the top five. With games in hand, and if they can get on a run, it’s far too soon to write off their play-off chances.
But Ward, who led Sleaford to a fifth-placed finish in his previous job, is concentrating on the here and now.
“The top five feels like a long way off at the moment, if I’m honest,” he said.
“The current plans are let’s keep getting points on the board.
“It’s still very compact in terms of if you win a few games, you fly up the league quite quickly, and we have got two or three games in hand on some around us as well.
“We take each game as it comes and try to get points on the board.
“We’ll always fall where we’re meant to and if that’s top five because we’ve managed to turn it around, then hopefully so.
“It does feel in the dressing room that the mentality and the momentum have shifted.
“We’re getting more and more of our senior players back each week, which is a plus, and hopefully that results in more and more points, and we can start mixing it where we want to in the league.”
Newark & Sherwood were edged 1-0 by Grantham for the second week running last Saturday.
After losing to the Gingerbreads in the FA Vase the previous week, they were beaten by a fourth-minute goal in the league.
The conditions meant it was never going to be a classic.
“It was a bit of a rubbish game, if I’m honest,” said Ward. “The pitch wasn’t great, the weather was horrible.
“They played the conditions slightly better than us but it probably should have been a 0-0 bore draw.
“It wasn’t a great advert for football but they pinched a goal early on and that was all it was.
“I played there for a few years when they were Step 3 and it was always windy, so you know what you’re in for, but I think it took a few of our lads time to adjust to the conditions, where they played the situation slightly better.
“They turned it better and took minimal risks all game.”
The main positive for the Highwaymen was Leke Shodunke’s debut as a second-half substitute.
He played the last 30 minutes after replacing Ryan Ebanks.
“We got our new signing on, Leke, who brings some pace and flair out wide,” said Ward. “He looks good and is going to be more of a threat the more he’s embedded into the group.
“So that’s a positive and we did create a few half-chances, and even though Grantham are a very good side, there was nothing between the two sides again.
“The difference being a wonder strike in the Vase and then a scrappy one in the league. There’s positives but it wasn’t the prettiest game you’ll ever watch.”
Newark & Sherwood visit Coalville in the League Cup this Saturday and host leaders Boston Town in the league on Tuesday (7.45pm).