Things are looking 'brighter' for Horncastle Town boss Cotton

Youngsters continue to impress
Josh Kisby.Josh Kisby.
Josh Kisby.

Horncastle Town boss Andrew Cotton believes things are looking ‘brighter’ at The Wong... now he hopes the side can reflect that by moving up the table.

After beginning 2022 with draws against second-placed Appleby Frodingham and away at old foes Louth Town, The Wongers suffered their first defeat of the campaign this weekend with a 2-1 defeat at Barton Town Reserves.

But as Town prepare to travel to Tetney Rovers on Saturday, Cotton is targeting a first win of the calendar year.

“We’re hoping we can push up the table,” he said.

“We’ve looked at the (upcoming) fixtures and we’re hopeful we should be competitive.

“We’re hoping that we should be looking up the table rather than beneath us now the kids have got half a season’s experience behind them.”

It was experienced campaigner Michael Harness who netted the consolation at Barton this weekend, but the impressive youth system at the club looks like it will continue to pay off, as the manager has been impressed by several youngsters currently to young to step up to the first team.

Cotton continued: “The young lads are improving and we can see this kids are beginning to blossom.

“We’ve one or two in the pipeline in the under 16s we like the look of as well.

“So, we’re hoping that when they turn 16 we can get them involved in senior football.

“We’re looking brighter, a lot brighter.”

Youngsters Archie Offord, Liam Cotton and Josh Kisby - who Cotton described as becoming ‘a real monster’ on the pitch - are among the players still cutting their teeth in the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League.

“We’ve got Archie Offord who’s commanding a place in the side at the moment, playing really well and adding that bit of physicality and aggression into his game, which you need at that level,” Cotton commented.

“Josh Kisby is improving game in and out and becoming the player we know he can become, and Liam’s regulaly on the scoresheet at the minute and offering lots into the side.

“It’s just the mentality side that takes a bit of time and patience, but they’ll be ok.”

Tetney sit 11th in the table, 14 points and four places ahead of Horncastle.

Kick off at Fulstow Playing Field will be at 2pm on Saturday.

Rovers were beaten 4-3 by 14th-place Keelby United on Saturday.

But prior to that they were unbeaten in their previous seven matches in all competitions.

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