With 4 wins and 2 defeats from their first 6 games the Reserves, a mixture of youth and experience, are now beginning to gel which was highlighted none better than last weekend with a spirited performance against Sowerby Bridge reserves when they turned a 2 goal deficit at half time into a 4-3 victory.
Veteran full back and player-manager Brett Abson has been unselfish in starting himself on the bench for the majority of the opening games whilst he watches his new charge's from the touchline but is still leading the goal scoring charts with 6 and rolling back the years after some superb cameo appearances up front. Paul Greenwood has settled in brilliantly in the centre of midfield and his first goal for the Rams to get them back in the game against Sowerby Bridge was no more than he has deserved.
Chad Griffiths, a stalwart of many a Northowram match, from the touchline as a supporter that is, never looked like becoming a footballer for the Rams but he has proved many of his doubters wrong with some sterling work in pre-season which led to Abson not only handing him the captain's armband for the first game of the season but making him team captain for the rest of the season. He works tirelessly up front, has good feet and has already weighed in with 2 goals. At the back Chris Keeling, the wrong side of 40, hasn't let this hinder him and has put in consistent and solid performances in every game and has proven that life does indeed begin at 40 and looks like playing until he collects his bus pass.
Another ever present member of the squad, goalkeeper Matt Jagger, has not only halved the average age of the back five, but has given them confidence, has produced some solid displays and although he'd be the first to admit that he did make a clanger last week, he was a strong enough character not to let this affect him as he produced a crucial penalty save at 2-0 down which went a massive way to giving his team the victory against Sowerby Bridge.
The re-emergence of the Reserve team after over twenty years has also allowed first teamer's to get some much needed match fitness as they come back from injury or absence which has enabled Northowram AFC to grow as a club and not as two individual teams.
Despite their good start to the season, Saturday's game shouldn't be taken for granted and the Rams need to hit the ground running but with their new found spirit and camaraderie this is something that Abson shouldn't have to worry too much about, the headache will come as he decides who of his eager players to leave out.