NCEL: Relegated Armthorpe Welfare '˜must stick together'

Welfare have been relegated from the top flight for the first time ever - but Carmody has made it clear he intends to stay on.

“Firstly we have to take stock, let it sink in and then rebuild to get us back to the Premier Division as soon as possible,” he said.

“One thing for sure is that this wonderful club is absolutely where I want to be. My whole focus is on delivering what the community deserves which is a football team playing attractive and exciting football as well as being as competitive as we can.

“We’ve made huge strides behind the scenes and in my view the future is very bright. It’s now time we all stick together as a team and community and get behind each other.”

Carmody knew it was a tall order saving Welfare from the drop when he came in but having given themselves hope they let it slip in the last third of the season.

“Myself and my staff came in with a huge task ahead of us but one we very much relished taking on,” he said.

“Sadly after climbing a mountain to drag ourselves from the foot of the table into a position of safety, we have let things slip since the turn of the year.

“Results have just not been good enough even when performances have warranted more.”

Armthorpe’s haul of just six points from 13 games since the turn of the year highlights Carmody’s view that results have simply been nowhere near good enough.

The latest defeat came in the shape of a 6-1 reversal against Hemsworth MW last weekend in their penultimate home game of the season.

Armthorpe were behind after just four minutes when Nash Connolly drilled in a low angled shot.

Welfare had chances to draw level. Jason Kearsley saw his 20-yard drive diverted past the post by the visitors’ keeper Sam Leigh, who then did brilliantly to deny both Liam Radford and Gary Collier.

However, Hemsworth doubled their lead just past the half hour mark through Bill Law.

Richard Collier made it 3-0 on 33 minutes direct from a corner before scoring his second and the visitors’ fourth on 62 minutes with a crisp low shot.

Having used all three substitutes, Amthorpe had to play the last 15 minutes with ten men after Ben Chapman was forced off with injury.

Collier completed his hat trick on 82 minutes by curling in a fine effort from the edge of the box.

Armthorpe grabbed a consolation on 88 minutes when Reuben Pearse knocked in the rebound after Gary Collier’s shot had been blocked by the keeper.

But Hemsworth had the last word when Collier scored his fourth in the final minute.