"OBVIOUSLY with two games being postponed last week it gave the players a well earned rest.

"But we had a very good training session on Thursday that kept us ticking over and the break also gave us some time for niggling injuries to have some extra rest which is a massive bonus to us.

"Selby have definitely underachieved this season, I definitely had them down as title contenders.

"They have some very good players in their squad and are creeping up on the blind side and are going to have a big say on who is going to win this league.

"They have to play Armthorpe twice and in -form Thackley and they have only played 22 league games so far, they also put a reserve/youth side out against Grimsby Borough last week when getting beat 5-0 in the League Cup so their intentions are very clear.

"I think they feel they can finish in the top three, and they have applied to join the UniBond League and have just changed their management.

"After Selby comes Rainworth which is obviously a massive game for us especially with them not winning in their last four games, but a team doesn't go 21 unbeaten league games if they don't have a very good squad of players and a very good management structure.

"They are having a blip as we did against Parkgate and Liversedge, they will bounce back just as we have but we have to make sure it is not against us.

"They are a very strong team, well organised and play to their strengths, very similar to Mickleover last season.

"But this season I feel we are a stronger team with more experience and I think we will give them a good run for their money.

"The away fixture was our first league defeat when we lost 3-1 but that was when we lost goalkeeper Mark Wilberforce after 25 minutes and had to play the rest of the game with only 10 men.

"We had a good goal disallowed which would have brought us back to 2-2, and we will have five new faces from that game and I feel we have strengthened really well bringing in the right players at the right time and in the right positions.

"I have spoken to all the players over the weekend and told them to look after themselves as everything is now in our own hands and I trust them all that they will do.

"The Parkgate defeat really hurt us all and with 11 'cup finals' left we are all looking forward to the rest of the season, but there will be a lot more ups and downs to come in this league campaign as there are some very good teams and I think we have to play most of them in our run-in.

"We are full of confidence and self belief at the moment and the team spirit and camaraderie between the players and staff is fantastic, but we can't afford to be complacent.

"We are still in three competitions and we want to win all three.

"I feel physically we are in good shape and that came from the fantastic pre-season we had which built the foundations for the rest of the season.

"The attendance we get on training nights shows great commitment.

"We just need to be spot on with our mental strength now and make sure we have a winning mentality in everything we do and do it with desire and passion.

"Over the past few weeks I feel the support from the fans has got back to where it should be and that is supporting and encouraging the players.

"I think the performances have shown that, the players do appreciate it believe me.

"I understand as the manager of the football club I have to make difficult decisions and I can't please everyone, players or fans, all of the time and everyone has an opinion.

"But I make decisions with the club at heart and to win every game we compete in.

"We are heading in the right direction with us having the best attack, best defence and most clean sheets in the league.

"The support, encouragement and backing is getting more and more important, thanks again it is really appreciated by us all."