GREAT HARWOOD have their sights set on sealing a top five spot soon.
The Robins were gutted to miss out on the chance to go fifth on Saturday when they could only scrape a draw with basement club Castleton at the Interlink.
It halted a run of seven successive league wins which had seen Harwood surge up the NWCL Division Two table.
But now they are determined to get back on track when they make take on one of the teams just above them, Blackpool Mechanics, tomorrow at Accrington Stanley (ko 3pm).
"It was so disappointing when you see the table and see where we could have moved up to," said chairman Bill Holden.
"It was a good opportunity for us but we just didn't take our chances. We didn't play that badly but we let chances go begging.
"We are in mid-table at the moment and we need to carry on our run and try and get among the promotion contenders and make sure we are right in there."
The chairman is impressed with the way his side have climbed the league after struggling at the start.
"We just weren't getting the rub of the green at the start of the season and we are now. I think that is one difference. And John (Hughes, the manager) has brought in a number of good, young players.
"We obviously don't have a fortune to spend but we have a good team at the moment."
It is, though, one of the more experienced heads who has won the accolades recently.
Striker John Eastham collected the Division Two Player of the Month award for last month and, this week, picked up the award for December as well.
He was given it for being a "shining light" as Great Harwood continued their upturn in fortunes, he won three Man of the Match awards during the month and also scored four goals to make him the Robins top scorer, with eight goals.
"John deserves it," said the chairman. "He has had to overcome really bad injuries over the years, having plates put in his arms and a big knee operation and every time he has kept bouncing back.
"He is one of the fittest players at the club and we are pleased for him that he has got the awards."
