Penistone Church have increased the gap between them and the bottom three in the week that one of their players joined a Premier League club.
Jordan Barnett, 17, who can play at left-back or on the wing, has earned a one-year contract with the Burnley academy as a second year scholar. The Penistone lad spent time in the academies of Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley, with the Reds releasing him at the age of 15. But he impressed for Penistone Grammar School's team, which is coached by Penistone Church manager Ian Richards who has played him regularly in the first team this season.
Richards said: "Jordan has been asking to train with our first team since he was 14 then this season our normal left-back got injured and I put him in. He's got the attitude and attributes to make it in professional football. He listens and wants to learn. He lives just round the corner from our ground and he's football-mad. For a Premier League club to have signed him is fantastic for him and for us as a club."
Penistone thrashed Harrogate Railway Athletic 6-1 at home on Saturday, in front of 151 people which was the highest attendance in the NCEL that weekend, then lost 3-2 at Bottesford Town on Wednesday. They now have 14 points from 14 matches so are seven clear of the relegation zone in 17th. The bottom three are being cut adrift from the rest as Harrogate have six points while Barton Town have seven and Clipstone none.
Richards said: "We have a bit of a safety net from the bottom three but we are looking up the table, not down. I am still definitely aiming to finish in the top half. The top four or five teams seem to be breaking away and they will challenge for the title but then there is another 'mini league' below them and we want to finish as high in that as we can.
"We have had a difficult run with a lot of games against the top teams, and a lot of long away trips on weeknights. We have also had a lot of injuries and absences and it's only in the last few weeks that I have had a full squad to pick from. We just need to be more consistent now. We have been good going forward but we need to be better defensively, as a team unit not just the back four and goalkeeper. We need to get back to the clean sheets which got us promotion last season."
Against Harrogate, giant centre-back Brett Lovell put Church ahead on seven minutes then, after the visitors levelled, he scored another for 2-1.Andy Ring made it 3-1 on 35 minutes then Kieran Ryan netted twice in the first seven minutes of the second half before completing his hat-trick in injury-time.At Bottesford on Wednesday, Lovell levelled after the hosts took the lead but Church conceded twice more just after half-time then Ring replied in the 90th minute.
