​Dearne and District FC lodge official bid for promotion

Currently top of the Central Midlands League, the Goldthorpe-based club wants to move into the Northern Counties East League this year and is getting on with ground improvements to back up the application.

Dearne had won all its 16 of its 17 league matches this season and is 13 points ahead of nearest rivals Doncaster City and 14 ahead of third-placed Dinnington Town, although both do have games in hand.

"It’s going well," said Dearne chairman Antonio Jamasb.

"The team is pretty stable and the management team is pretty stable. We’ve won 16 games and drawn one so far and we’ve only 13 games left.

"The weather has been shocking. It’s playing a massive part. At one point we were five games in front but with the weather that has been clawed back to three or four.

"Doncaster have only dropped six points this season and have invested quite heavily in their squad. They’re the ones we’re looking at but Dinnington aren’t far behind.

“We have a big game against Doncaster City next month and have yet to play Dinnington.

"Hopefully we can get through January and February and still be top of the table.”

Dearne were held 1-1 at home by Harworth Colliery last weekend. Trailing to a penalty, Dearne drew level through Alex Wilkinson but in the scramble to recover the ball from the net received a red card.

Next up is a Floodlit Cup match at home to Mansfield Hosiery Mills next Wednesday (7.45pm).

Added Antonio: “We are averaging crowds of between 300 and 400.

"We had a couple of 150s just before Christmas but had 350 plus in for the last game and nearly 1,000 for the Doncaster game here.

" The support is good.”