Hebburn Town manager Moore relishing Ashton United challenge

Hebburn Town manager Daniel Moore has called on his players to put aside their injury woes to finish a historic season on a high.

With injuries decimating the Hornets squad, Moore’s men have slipped to ten points adrift of the Northern Premier League Premier Division play-off places after suffering successive home defeats against Hyde United and Leek Town over the last fortnight. A third consecutive home clash comes on Saturday when promotion contenders Ashton United head to South Tyneside - and Moore has admitted he is relishing the challenge that lies in wait.

He told The Gazette: “I’m looking forward to the game because I think we’ve been outstanding for four or five weeks. Last year we got the rub of the green - but this year we haven’t at times. You have to take that and I think it’ll be a good game between two good sides. We have been left short by injuries and when you carry a small squad. We’ve had four or five missing in the last few weeks and that’s just unlucky but we will keep doing what we can to pick up results and finish the season in a strong fashion.”

The game comes just days after Hebburn were honoured by the North East Football Writers Association for the Northern Premier League East title win last season. Moore was on hand to receive an award on behalf of the club and he believes being recognised in front of the North East’s top three managers shows just how far his own club has come in recent seasons.

He said: “When you are stood on the stage and you see Eddie Howe, Regis Le Bris and Michael Carrick in front of you, you realise how far we have come. We have done the reason proud and it’s good that they (North East Football Writers) recognise what is going on at non-league level. From the turn of the year, we won 16 out of 18 games and in the run-in, we won 12 out of 13 and at that stage of the season, playing six games in 14 days, to win them and win the league was outstanding and it will live with me.”

Moore will assess the injuries of several members of his squad before finalising his plans for the game.

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