Buxton FC goalkeeper says desire and maintaining standards is key to his side's promotion ambitions

Buxton FC goalkeeper Grant Shenton knows his side must strive for the highest standards if they are to secure promotion.

The Bucks are targeting promotion from the Northern Premier League following a season to forget last time out.

“We are speaking to the gaffer every day pretty much and we are all chomping at the bit to get going again and promotion is 100 per cent the goal,” he said.

“The chairman has invested in the club to progress through the non-league ladder and It is about hitting the bar and maintaining those standards.

“Sometimes it is easy in non-league to drop off the boil a bit, when you turn up at a place you perhaps don't want to play and you just expect to win.

“That is the difference for the teams that achieve and those that just miss out, it is about treating every game for what it is and having the standard in your personal game and as a team.

“Everyone needs to pull in the same direction from the start.”

And the former Chester FC shot-stopper, who arrived at Silverlands in the summer of 2019, knows a good start, along with a high level of fitness and hunger, will be key to their ambitions.

“The start is important to any promotion-winning team,” he said.

“They are not vital, I have seen teams have a bad start and still go up, but the teams that tend to win the league at this standard have a consistency through the season.

“We will need a good start. I have been in relegation and title battles and the big difference is not settling for below-par standards.

“A lot of lads are not necessarily motivated by promotion, they just enjoy playing the game.

“It is all about who wants it more and the players that will run through walls and battle for each other are the players that will achieve things.

“That is what it comes down to in non-league. A lot of games are won at our level in the last 15-20 mins because of different fitness levels and the fitter team tends to win.

“If a team is willing to work harder than the other team then they will win matches.”

Shenton, who also had spells at Ramsbottom United and Ashton United, believes Buxton may have an ace up their sleeve in the form of their plastic pitch.

“Knowing we are training on a Thursday night, even if the weather is bad, gives us a psychological boost,” he added.

“We will train right, a lot of lads in non-league, if they are training on a Thursday and the forecast doesn’t look too good, they can sometimes drop out knowing that the Saturday game is not going to be on.

“It comes down to a mentality thing and having the right winning mentality. It is definitely something that we can take advantage of and will aid us.”​​​​​​​

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