Colls’ manager Brendon Ormsby believes that his players are good enough to arrest their three-game losing streak by winning this afternoon’s game against Albion Sports at The White Rose Stadium.

“If they need any evidence to prove that they are good enough,” the gaffer states, “then they need look no further than the performances they put in against Dinnington, Grimsby and Nostell. At times this season, they have been superb”

Writing in his notes for the match programme, Ormsby believes that there is nothing wrong with his team that a win would not put right. “Quite simply,” he writes, “they have lost some confidence. Once this happens, the energy levels drop and you can stop doing the good things that got you playing well in the first place. The sign of true champions is the ability to dig deep when your confidence is low, put in the extra hard work, puff your chest out and fight for the right to play your football. The ones who do this will find a way of winning, and will also find their confidence coming back soon enough.”

As well as being the first ever meeting between two sides following Albion’s promotion to the Baris NCEL this season, this afternoon’s game has taken on added significance for The Colls, coming on the back of three straight defeats, which culminated in the loss of Ponte’s 100% start to the league season at Eccleshill in midweek.

Ormsby writes: “I am not going to dwell on these games or review them any more than we have done already. As devastating as the three defeats were – particularly the loss to Eccleshill – they are in the past. While it is important that players learn from mistakes they have made in the past – that is part of becoming a better footballer, after all – I do not want players wallowing in doom and gloom or beating themselves up about poor performances. It is important that we put these games behind us and get back to winning ways today.

“In many ways, our season starts again today. That is how we need to treat this game. If we bring the same positive approach and high energy levels to the game that we brought to our opening day win at Dinnington, we will be fine. This, I believe, is the key. The differences between our fantastic performances and our poor ones have been mainly caused by drops in energy levels. When the players fight for the right to play football, they play well, and this is what they need to do today, and in every game from now on.

“The players are adults, and they know themselves that they have dropped below their own high standards. They know what I expect of them, and what they expect of themselves. They are men, and will take the responsibility to put things right – by playing with high tempo, going into every challenge to win it, playing on their toes, and making the right decisions. Providing they do this, we will turn these bad results into a blip, and stop them from becoming a crisis.

“This is what people mean by “taking every game as it comes.” Ten days ago, we were “world-beaters”. Now, we are in a crisis. The reality is somewhere in between: we can be a really good team if we win the right to be so, but we can be beaten if we let our levels drop. The job of the players is to give 100% in every minute of every game.

“I believe that we have a great squad. Our players should believe it as well – let me present the games against Dinnington and Grimsby as evidence! I hope that our players bring the positive attitude and hard work to the game today that will see us return to form with a win.