Athersley Rec manager Pete Goodlad says his side are experiencing the same problems as Barnsley FC this season. 

After a 3-3 home draw with sixth-placed Liversedge ended a run of seven successive defeats, the Penguins are five points adrift in the only relegation position after collecting only five points from their 15 games this season. Like the Reds, who are bottom of the Championship, Rec are blooding a very young side while failing to keep goals out – having conceded 86 in 19 games in all competitions this season. 

Goodlad said: “It’s exactly the same. Barnsley are playing very well, especially going forward, but making too many silly mistakes at the back and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Both clubs are focusing on developing young players, although we do have two or three veterans in the team as well which I think any team needs. I hope both us and Barnsley stay up this season.”

Kane Swinburn, who scored a hat-trick on his debut last month, opened the scoring then, after the visitors levelled before the break, he made it 2-1 early in the second half.  Liversedge went 3-2 ahead but Jack Shepperd levelled in the 81st minute. Goodlad said: “It was a brilliant game. We played some really good football and some of the moves we put together were as good as any side in our league can do. “We should have won but that’s been the case for the last few weeks in every game. 

“We are shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes at the back, because we really should be up with the pack of teams above us and not cut adrift. Every manager of the opposition is saying he can’t believe we’re last. “We’ll keep battling all season and hopefully we can start getting some wins and stay up. The problem will be keeping hold of all our players because we have some very good young talents but they seem to enjoy it here so hopefully they stay.”