NCEL: Harworth Colliery sack manager Lee Needham

Needham guided Colliery to promotion from the Central Midlands League last season.

But they are currently four points adrift of safety in Division One and facing an uphill task to retain NCEL status.

Coaching duo Tom Hague and Dave Rushbury have also left the club.

A statement on Colliery’s website said: “The club would like to thank Lee Needham, Tom Hague and Dave Rushbury for all their hard work and commitment on what has been a difficult season up to date.

“But with just 11 games left of the season the club feels a change in management would give us the best chance of maintaining NCEL status.

“It is vital that through times of change like this that the club remains together which includes all of the playing staff as we feel what we have is good enough to keep us up.

“If the new management can add to this along with a good crop of younger players we have an excellent chance to stay up and 11 games hopefully gives someone a chance to come in and turn things around.

“Lee and Tom will always be remembered for steering us to promotion last season after taking charge in January. This became an historic campaign with the club reaching Step 6 status again for the first time in 32 years.

“Now is the time to move things forward, maintain our status and push on.”

Dale Featherstone fired Harworth into a seventh minute lead with a fine effort from the edge of the box but Emley turned it around to take a 3-1 lead into the interval.

Harworth got one back on 71 minutes courtesy of a Matt Robinson penalty but the home side hung on to condemn Colliery to a third defeat in four.