Glasshoughton Welfare will overcome hard start - manager Rob Hunter

Glasshoughton Welfare manager Rob Hunter

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Glasshoughton Welfare boss Rob Hunter believes his side will overcome their difficult opening month of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division season.

Due to an odd number of teams in the division, Welfare were without a fixture on the opening day and Glasshoughton’s first nine fixtures are away from home because of cricket at Leeds Road.

Glasshoughton start at Staveley Miners Welfare on Wednesday and Hunter, who watched their opponents at Bridlington on Saturday, insists Welfare will cope.

“It is a problem because with nine away games on the trot, it is going to be hard work with all the travelling and the four midweek games, which include Barton and Staveley and they are long treks,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, you have to go to these clubs at some point in the season. If we can play nine away games at the start of the season, it means two-thirds of the rest of the season are at home.

“There is a danger we may get off to a bad start. However, I’m happy with the squad and the group of players we have got. I don’t see any problems with players getting to games apart from Russell Headley. Russell lives and works in Bury and is a wagon driver.

“It is not going to be easy with the away games, but I’m happy and confident we can go to most of the teams and make it difficult for them.”

Striker Calum Ward

Hunter has retained most of last season’s team, while adding striker Calum Ward, goalkeeper Paul Hagreen, midfielder Dan Middleton and Knaresborough Town duo Joel Freestone and Matthew Donnelly. The Welfare manager has previously said that he is aiming for a top ten finish and he is sticking to that goal.

“I said the top ten was the aim at the first training session and I always thought that would be a tough ask for a team like Glasshoughton,” he said.

“But I still believe that is well within our reach. I’m really pleased with the squad of players. People like Calum Ward, Paul Hagreen are huge signings for us and I’m really pleased with what we have got.

“We have got a couple of lads from Knaresborough – Joel Freestone and Matt Donnelly – and they are big signings. We have got a squad of 19-20 players.”

Alongside preparing his side for the big kick-off, Hunter has also been taking in other matches to get to know his rivals and he was impressed with much-fancied Brighouse Town.

“I went to watch Brighouse over a week ago at Harrogate Railway and they probably put one of the best performances from a Northern Counties side ever in,” he said.

“It was an outstanding performance. I haven’t seen Worksop yet, but on the back of that performance, I’ll be very surprised if (Brighouse) they are not in the top two.

“I know how consistent Bridlington are and I know Worksop have signed some big players and there will two or three other teams that think they can match them.

“But for me, Brighouse will be the outstanding team and I’ll be very surprised if they aren’t leading the pack for most of the season.”