Frustration for New Mills as weather disrupts last month of fixtures

Joint New Mills boss Dave Birch admits it's been a frustrating month.

The promotion-chasing Millers drew 1-1 with Brocton at the weekend in their first game since losing to West Didsbury and Chrolton back on 29th January.

“It has been a tough month with only one game,” he said. “We wanted to bounce back from the West Didsbury defeat and get straight back at it.

“All the postponements have been tough and we are chomping at the bit to get back at it.

“We just wanted to get going and it hasn't been easy. The game on Monday was called off about 3 hours before kick-off after it rained enough for three of four days.

“It has been difficult but we will get there. The stop start nature of the month has hindered us, but we have got to just stay positive and hope the weather improves.”

The postponements has seen New Mills slip down to fifth spot in the table with a five point cushion inside the play-off places.

But Birch says the ambition is still there to finish as high up the table as possible.

“It is tight up there, but we are back in second if we keep winning, it is in our hands to do that,” he said.

“We've got a lot of home games coming up and we just want to see where it takes us now.

“We have been training hard and have not missed a training session when we have not had a game.

“We have kept at it and we still have ambitions to be successful.

“It's been a difficult month, but there are more twists and turns to come for the rest of the season.

“We have got to stay in the plays-offs and anything else is a bonus. We want to finish as high as we can.”

The Millers expect to play their scheduled game at Stafford this week.

“I’m hoping it goes ahead,” said Birch. “Stafford play on a 4G pitch so it should be on, then the games come thick and fast once again.

“Brocton was a tough game at the weekend. It wasn't raining, but the wind was hard and the ground was open.

“It made it a tough tough game. They are doing well at home and have had good results, they are big and strong and gave us nothing.

“We just have to stay positive. There are no real injuries in the camp and we have got a good mood in the squad.”