Toolstation NCEL Division One
Alex Nightingale says Swallownest are making steady progress on-and-off-the-field.
Swallownest won just two league games between August and the middle of February last season before Nightingale inspired a late rally of results which steered them to safety.
Swallownest have already collected 12 points from nine games and Nightingale is pleased.
“It is a good start,” Nightingale told Non League Yorkshire.
“We are only four points away from sixth which was unthinkable last year.
“I can’t even remember when we got our first win last season.
“We’re making progress on-the-pitch and off-the-pitch.
“We had 215 against Parkgate on a Tuesday night, we have never had that on a Tuesday night.
“It was 50 three years ago.
“We’re not a finished article by any means. I just want us to keep progressing.
“We do feel we are building something positive at the club and there’s a real buzz around the changing room and it is about consistency now.”
Although there is a clear reason for optimism, Nightingale remains level-headed about their prospects.
“Any progress would be progress this season,” he said.
“If we finish one place above where we did last season, that’s progress in my opinion.
“But if it is a big jump into mid-table then fantastic.
“Anything above that, which in my eyes is a different world, then I’d be absolutely buzzing.
“We have made a good start but we can’t get carried away.
“The teams we have beat are all in and around us but we weren’t winning those games last season.
“It is the teams in the top six who are the ones we have faltered against and maybe we have not been confident and brave enough?”
Swallownest visit Glasshoughton tomorrow after a ten day break.
Their last game saw them claim a big victory against Parkgate.
“We needed a reaction from Rossington because performance-wise we were quite poor,” he said.
“It was a big reaction.
“Parkgate have signed a few players and they are a good side.
“I know a lot about them.
“On the day we probably should have won by more than we did.
“We missed some really good chances. I don’t think we deserved to concede two.
“I thought we throughly deserved it.
“Parkgate will grow and get better and they won’t be down there for long so it was an important win.”