NCEL round-up: Fitness boost for Armthorpe boss | Rossington target top half finish

Welfare, without a win in five, are looking to avoid relegation from the Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history.

While the majority of last weekend’s games fell victim to the weather, the Church Street side were not affected as they already had a blank weekend - for which Carmody was thankful.

“The free week allowed us a bit of time to get some of the injured players back,” he said.

“Craig Aspinall is back training and has come through okay and Stuart Preston has also trained this week and we’ll assess him before Saturday’s home game with Staveley.

“We are monitoring Tom McLaughlin and Gareth Roberts and hopefully we’ll have them available very soon.

“It will be a massive boost at just the right time. Getting everyone fit for the last nine games is hugely important to the club.”

If Armthorpe are to avoid the drop they will need to go on a run similar to the one they enjoyed during December and into early January when they won three and drew two of six games.

Armthorpe have a three-point cushion over the bottom three. However, they have played two more games than Parkgate, Retford United and bottom of the table Barton Town Old Boys.

With six games out of the last nine at Church Street, Carmody will feel they can pick up enough points to survive.

They have some tough games with Bridlington and Cleethorpes Town amongst the visitors.

But if they show the same work rate and commitment that they did in the narrow 2-1 reversal at big spending AFC Mansfield in their last outing, when they were unlucky not to come away with a point, then the relegation battle should have a positive outcome.

The first test comes on Saturday against Staveley, who arrive without a win in three outings.

New Rossington Main manager Chris Glarvey and assistant Ben Scott look to have got the club heading in the right direction.

Since picking up their first win since taking the helm in mid-November with a 3-0 victory at Shirebrook Town at the end of December, Main have taken 12 points from six games.

Their last outing was an impressive 3-0 home success against well fancied Hallam at the end of last month.

It is a run that has pretty much ended any fears of getting dragged into a relegation scrap with Rossington now 12 points clear of the bottom two in Division One with ten games remaining.

Indeed on current form Main have their sights set higher and on a place in the top half of the table, which would give Messrs Glarvey and Scott an excellent platform to work from for next season.

There is a lot of positivity around Oxford Street which has been aided by some excellent signings, including the likes of forward Jonathan Fusco from Premier Division Worksop Town and Doncaster-born Cameron Johnson, who is a highly-rated striker who has joined on dual registration from Matlock Town.

Rossington return to action for the first time in three weeks with a trip to 11th-placed Eccleshill United, who are looking for a third straight win.