Boss calls for concentration as Selston close in on title

Craig Weston has seen his side lose just twice all season.

Selston manager Craig Weston says he's been pleasantly surprised by his team's dominance of the Central Midlands League South this season as they sit on the verge of title glory.

The Parishioners are a maximum of two wins away from sealing the championship, although other results could dictate that this Saturday’s home game with Eastwood is the day the honours become theirs.

And while Weston is excited by the prospect of the silverware being claimed, he knows his side have to continue getting their heads down and finish the job off properly.

He said: “We have to just keep it steady now. I’m expecting everyone to maintain the same attitude we’ve had all season and finish with as many points as we can. We can’t take anything for granted.”

Nearest rivals Belper United and Hucknall Town would have to win all of their remaining games to stand a chance of overhauling Selston, who in turn would have to lose most of theirs to give others a chance.

Their cause has been helped by successive 1-0 wins against both of their title rivals over the last week, which Weston feels is likely to have given irreparable damage to both Belper and Hucknall’s hopes.

He said: “Both games were huge and the players and I knew exactly what we needed in terms of the kind of performance. We looked rock solid at the back which is always important because if you’re not conceding you’re half way there. We only scored one in each game but always looked more likely to be team that scored again and actually won both games quite comfortably, although Hucknall threw everything at us late on last weekend. We were resolute and stood firm and it’s put us in a great position.”

Selston host Eastwood CFC on Saturday as part of the annual Chairman’s Day celebrations (see page 38) before a visit to struggling Keyworth United on Wednesday night.

Hucknall don’t have a game over the next week while Belper United won at home to Keyworth last night and go to Swanwick Pentrich Road on Saturday.

Weston said: “I know there are various combinations of things that can happen to help us win it but all we can really do is concentrate on our own matters in hand, keep our heads down, keep winning and concentrating on the job in hand. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at just how well we’ve done but not too shocked as I know how good our players are.