SPENNYMOOR manager Jason Ainsley says that his team has 15 cup finals to play before the end of the season.

Moors have the first of them at home to Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday afternoon, as they continue their promotion bid from the Vanarama National League North. They are currently in third place in the table, three points behind Stockport County and four ahead of their opponents.

And now their focus is on promotion, either automatically or through the play offs after going out of the Trophy against Telford on Tuesday night.

“We’ve got 15 cup finals to play between now and the end of the season,” he said.

“We’re on a good run in the league and have had some good results recently. We might not have played to our best, but we’ve ground out results. We’ve gone five games unbeaten – ironically our last league defeat was against Telford.

“The players have worked ever so hard to get us into this position, and they need to keep it going. If we’d been offered third place at this stage of the season when it all kicked off in August, then we would have snapped your hands off. There are plenty of other clubs who would like to be in our position.”

Moors striker Adam Boyes is included in the squad against his former club, but he might have to be content with a place on the bench because of the form of Glen Taylor, who now has 24 goals for the season after equalising against Telford the other night.

“The system we’re playing suits Glen,” said Ainsley. “He likes to plough the lone furrow – I don’t think he’s scored inside the six-yard box this season. Some of his goals have been unbelievable, he’s got all sorts in his locker.”

However, Ainsley is hoping that his team doesn’t concede any more goals similar to those on Tuesday.

“I was disappointed with the goals we conceded against Telford. I couldn’t fault the effort of the lads – they created several good chances, the workrate was very good, but we just lacked that little bit of quality. I was disappointed in the manner in which we went out.”

Midfielder Liam Agnew comes back into the squad after being ineligible for the Trophy tie on Tuesday night, while Moors are hoping that a last-minute hitch on the international clearance that delayed Scott Harrison’s debut has been cleared in time.

Midfielder Shane Henry is out because of ankle injury sustained against Telford, while defender Rob Atkinson is out with a hamstring injury.

Bradford at one stage headed the table, but they have collected just two points from their last six games.

In the EvoStik Premier, league leaders South Shields are at home to Bamber Bridge, and Whitby are at home to Lancaster.

In the EvoStik League East, leaders Morpeth are at Pickering and Marske look for their second victory in a week at home to Cleethorpes.