PHILL Cooper insists he still believes things can come good at Denton Town, despite their ever-changing season,
Positive coronavirus tests meant the Whittle’s Park club had to close down, meaning the home fixture with Parklands was called off.
When that will be played is anyone’s guess after the Cheshire League decided teams from different areas could not face each other after the imposition of their three regulations.
For the time being, Town can play Partington Village, Maine Road Reserves, Cheadle Heath Nomads Reserves and Ashton Athletic, who are all based in Greater Manchester.
Once those fixtures are completed, no-one is quite sure what will happen with talk league one will be split into regionalised groups if the current rules are in place.
But Denton Town’s joint-manager is frustrated the Covid-19 shutdown – and subsequent shuffling of the fixture list – came after his side started to show what it can do in a 4-1 win at St Helens-based Windle Labour, with Shaquille Lewys scoring two goals.
Phill said: “That was our best performance of the season.
“It was on a 3G pitch, which suited our lads down to the ground.
“I always said the performances will come, so it’s frustrating it happened when it did. It threw is back to square one really.
“I believe in the squad we have and I’m confident we have one of the best sides in the league but it takes time to get together as a team.
“We’ve had a lot of changes in recent months but the more often we play together, the better we will get as a team. It happens everywhere, particularly at our level.”
In a joint statement, heads of all county football associations in the north west spelled out why they fixtures had been changed.
Although they have written to sports minister Nigel Huddleston asking for further clarity on the travel restrictions and how they apply to teams.
They said: “We know that the additional Government restrictions in the North West will cause further disruption to individuals in clubs and leagues.
“However, we remain able to play football to a significant extent albeit effectively under licence.
“We are reliant on each and every one of us across the north west complying fully with the current restrictions and we thank you all in advance of that compliance.
“For absolute clarity, travel is not permitted from a Tier 3 to another Tier 3 area (Greater Manchester to Lancashire and or vice versa) or from a Tier 3 to a Tier 2 area and vice versa (such as Liverpool city region to Cheshire West and Chester).”
Denton Town’s first team is not the only side effected by the Covid-19 reshuffle. The veteran side, which plays in the Cheshire Veterans Football League, premier division, saw its fixture with Rainhill postponed as they are from outside Greater Manchester.
However, the reserves team, which won five of its first six matches in Cheshire League, reserve division two, was able to play Broadheath and can play Golborne as they are inside the area.
No such regulations affect the Sunday side, which plays in Tameside League, division one and faces local competition from fellow Dentonians Dom Doyle Rangers, who achieved a staggering 22-1 win against Beau Geste Union.
Gene Hoole thought he had done well in scoring five goals in the game, but Ryan Waterhouse went one better with six!