​Boss looks for bodies to boost depleted Parkgate FC

They have as many as seven or eight big players missing including Danny Patterson, Ross Duggan, Brandon Whitfield, Liam Tomlinson, Liam Royles and Josh Nodder, who has been out for three games, while Joe Austin isn’t fully fit.

The Steelmen have still continued to stack up the wins, backing up last Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Jubilee Sports in the Sheffield Senior Cup – Jack Haslam the scorer – with a 4-0 blitz of Retford FC on Tuesday night back in NCEL Division One.

Parkgate had only two substitutes for the win at Jubilee but did have a full bench against Retford as the victory was sealed by a hat-trick from the returning Jamie Austin and a late strike from Billy Wood, pulled in from the Reserves.

As thing stand they will again be light on numbers again for Saturday’s trip Yorkshire Main. Parkgate also have a game at home to Selby Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Manager Scott Mason said: "Over a season every club has to deal with injuries but never in my managerial career have I had seven or eight big players missing at one time. We have had to dig deep into the squad.

"We have the lads out for quite a few weeks but those who have stepped up have done well and long may it continue because we need them to if we are going to be in and around where we want to be.”

Joe Lumley, who Mason worked with at Maltby Main, has joined from Retford FC and turned in a strong debut in helping Parkgate beat his old club in midweek.

The manager has also dipped into the Rotherham Sunday League football to sign Harry Day and more new reinforcements are needed.

Mason added: “I am making a few phone calls to my Rotherham Sunday League friends to see if people at the likes of AFP, Brinsworth DC and others will sign a form and come and help out on days when we need players.

"Who is to say they’re not going to be part of it and if they do well then it’s up to the other lads to return from injury and get their places back.”

Parkgate are four points off top spot but with games in hand on all the teams around them.

Added Mason: “We’ve had a couple of poorish performances, like away to Dronfield, but we were excellent on Tuesday and we are in a good position.”