'Tweaks' paying off for Holwell Sports, can they make it three wins in a row against Hucknall Town?

Neil Miller believes Holwell Sports good run of form can be attributed to the side playing to their strengths.

After picking up six points in three days – last Wednesday’s 3-2 victory at Ingles and Saturday’s 6-1 home win against Barrow Town – Sports ended the weekend 14th in the table, having won four of their past five United Counties League Division One contests.

Manager Miller believes his side’s good form can be attributed to a few tweaks made during a recent period of inactivity for the side.

“I think with having two weeks off that we did with FA Cup and Vase weekend it gave us a chance to re-set and re-think what was best for us,” Miller said.

“We made a few tweaks to the team which has served us well and given us a bit of a different shape and different process.

“So far its served us well and confidence is good. We just have to take it a game at a time.”

“Most probably, if I look back now at what I did in pre-season, I brought a big influx of players through the door.

“Thinking it was a long season and we’d need lots of bodies to get through that period of time.

“However, the impact was that I was undecided on what my best XI was and what my best formation was.

“Sometimes we were a little bit square peg, round hole and that’s what the two weeks off did, it allowed me to come back to what I know best and what we know best and the identity of what I want us to be knows as.

“I want us to be an attractive footballing team that plays the right way.

“We’ve not gone back to basics but we’re going back to our strengths and being really clear about what we want.”

Ryan Kirk has since returned to St Andrews while Lamin Conteh has joined Barrow Town.

“We will now focus on that group of 15-16-18 players instead of 24-25 players,” Miller added. “I take full responsibility for that. Hopefully, this gives us a little more consistency.”

Harry Allcock and George Bosworth both netted hat-tricks in Saturday victory over Barrow.

Allcock scored a brace at Ingles and Bosworth also on the scoresheet.

Miller concedes their scoring form will alert other clubs, but hopes the duo will be keen to finish the job with Holwell.

“Between Harry and George there is 21 goals,” the manager continued.

“That pricks teams’ ears up and we’re aware of the quality of both of those players, which brings teams knocking and asking questions.

“But both players are very happy and comfortable where they are which is always nice to know.

“Sometimes it’s very easy to want to have a look at other options.

“But I think players are comfortable.

“We don’t normally have too many players through the door and leaving very quickly.

“The environment we set ourselves, which runs through the committee as well, it’s a nice place to be.

“And the local support we get always helps with that feeling within the club as well.

“It’s not just what we create but what the people who watch us create as well.”

Sports are looking to make it three straight wins this Saturday.

However, Miller expects a tough test at Hucknall Town.

The Yellows are currently fourth in the table and ended a run of back-to-back defeats by winning 5-1 at Hinckley at the weekend.

They also scored five times in their previous victory, at home to Clifton All Whites.

“I’ve no doubt they’ll start to become far more consistent,” Miller said.

“Hucknall is a very tough game.

“When we look at the teams in this league we would put Hucknall up there at the start of the season.

“This is just a tough one for us.

“We’ve beaten teams in and around and below us, but we’ve not yet really made any big statements.

“We don’t want to get carried away too much but we’ve won four of our last five (league) a games and it’s a nice place to be.”

Kick off at Watnall Road will be at 3pm.