Worsbrough Bridge have powered clear of the NCEL Division One relegation zone with three successive victories.
The Briggers won 3-2 at home to fifth-bottom Ollerton Town on Saturday, following their 2-0 success against fourth-bottom Dronfied Town four days earlier. They then beat top ten visitors Glasshoughton Welfare on Tuesday, despite a 45-minute delay after floodlight failure which was fixed by the referee, who is an electrician.
Bridge have now picked up as many points in their last three games as they had in the previous 24 league fixtures which brought 19 losses, three draws and two wins since September. All three recent wins have been at Park Road where they had won one of their previous 14 games this season, losing 13.
Worsbrough – who are still on the lookout for more volunteers as they hope to improve their precarious off-the-field situation and avoid closure – are now nine points clear of the two-team drop zone.
"It was my birthday on Monday so, with two wins as well, it has not been a bad week at all," said Josh Wright who, at 28, is the youngest NCEL manager.
"I have been feeling about 48 after what we have been through in the last couple of months but to win three in a row is absolutely fantastic and credit to the players who have been excellent.
"We have brought in some new players, who have made a difference. But we have also changed our tactics to not just try to keep a clean sheet but to fight fire with fire and attack teams. All the lads are working hard and fighting to stay in this league.
"We are by no means safe and we probably need three more wins to make sure of it but we are trying to catch the teams above us and finish really strongly."
Robert Oldham put Bridge ahead in the third minute on Saturday then James Popplewell doubled the lead in the 17th. Ollerton pulled one back but Ryan Pleasants made it 3-1 before the visitors scored in the 90th-minute.The Tuesday win was secured by Tom Guest's early strike.
Meanwhile, Penistone Church manager Ian Richards admitted he is 'hurting' after his side suffered a 5-1 thrashing at AFC Campion which dealt their automatic promotion hopes a serious blow. Richards' side, who had led the division while starting the season with a 17-match unbeaten run, are now fourth.
They are 12 points behind AFC Emley, who have played three games more, and seven behind third-placed Hall Road who have played the same number. Church are still seven points clear of the sides outside the top six but now look more likely to have to settle for a place in the play-offs, in which they lost at Emley last season in the semi-final.
Eighth-placed Campion took the lead after a quarter of an hour then Andy Ring equalised within a minute with his eighth goal in Church's last nine games. But the hosts made it 2-1 after half an hour then added three more in the final 15 minutes with former Barnsley FC under 18s star Talent Ndlovu netting the last two.
Richards said: "It was one of those days. Campion deserved the three points and were the better team. The scoreline was not a full reflection as we got three injuries in the second half and were forced into changes. We then changed formation to be even more attacking and they took advantage of that.
"One game does not make a season and it is three points lost, nothing else. Other teams near us dropped points also so we must have a reaction next week and not let it affect the remaining games of the season.
"I accept responsibility for the defeat. I am hurting as this is an extremely rare result in my career but I will come out of it stronger and put it right."
In the Premier Division, Declan Welford scored an 88th-minute equaliser for Athersley Rec at Thackley. The hosts scored a fifth-minute opener but Rec kept up an unbeaten record away from home which now stretches across five matches since November.
