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We must improve

27/ 2/2008

GLOSSOP North End manager Steve Young has challenged his side to produce improved performances as they bid for a top-four finish in the Vodkat League.

Last weekend’s 3-1 victory at Bacup Borough put the Hillmen three points behind fourth-placed Congleton Town with a game in hand and with a better goal difference.

However, while Young was happy to have secured three points, he was less pleased with a performance that saw North End forced to come from a goal behind against the second-bottom hosts.

He said: "It was a very good result at Bacup but a very poor performance at the same time.

"Everyone keeps telling me winning and playing badly is the sign of a good team, but I was just pleased to get the three points on the day. We were lazy all over the park, sloppy with our possession and we created our own problems. "I think we’ve had a bit of a month where we’ve been disappointed with each other’s performances. People have been getting frustrated with each other which hasn’t helped and we did lose the whole left-hand side of our team in two weeks, so it’s been a case of us settling down again."

While Saturday’s opponents St Helens have struggled this season, Young is targeting three points ahead of a difficult run of games.

Congleton Town, Salford City and Newcastle Town are the next three teams on the horizon, all of them visiting Surrey Street.

Those games could be crucial if North End are to achieve Young’s initial target of bettering last season’s ninth place.

He said: "Those are the games we’ve been looking forward to, matches where we see if we should be a top four side or not.

"If we get through the next month unscathed, we’ll be where we want to be because I always set a target of finishing above where we did last season.

"We finished in ninth at the end of last season and I think we’ll beat that, we certainly have the ability."