To listen to post game interviews from Ian Richards and Steve Lenthall after the Selby Town and Handsworth games, click the youtube link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx2wywiSMZU&t=2s

To listen to the post game interview from Steve Lenthall and Dave Hampshire following the cup final against Dodworth, click on the youtube link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPv9Ybc45Q

RESULTS
Tuesday 11th April – We hosted
Sheffield Friendly League Semi-final
Boundary Academy 4-0 Norton Oaks

12th April
Wragg Football League
Caribbean Sports O35s 3-1 Penistone Church O35s

Thursday 13th April
Rosehill Association Cup Final Tie
At The Fantastic Media Welfare Ground Emley
AFC Penistone Church 2-2 Dodworth MW - (After extra time)
Dodworth MW FC won 5-3 on penalties
Scorers for Church - Sam Scrivens 89 & Jordan Barnett 115
After the game manager Steve Lenthall said,
“Obviously I’m gutted for the lads, I thought we dominated the game throughout the whole one hundred and twenty minutes really. They probably had fifteen or twenty minutes where they didn’t really hurt us they had a bit of the ball and I thought apart from that we were the best side.
First half we had a couple of chances, didn’t take them and how we set ourselves up to make sure Danny Barlow didn’t get any space on the ball or time on the ball, just one little blip and he punishes you a great little ball through and a great finish and to be fair it’s one of those when he could hit them all week and he’d only score one of them.
So going in at half time I thoroughly thought we could get something out of the game, we came out second half on the front foot, we hit the bar within about two minutes and then things started going wrong, Mitch (Savage) got sent off, for something that only the referee has seen, the linesman has actually told me that he hasn’t told him to send him off just book him and the referee has made the decision to send him off so we went down to ten men. We had to change formation so we could still compete in the game, then five minutes later we lost our goal keeper we had to put Lewis (Dickinson) in the net, it’s not ideal in the final game. To be fair to the lads the formation we changed, Lewis going in the net I thought we were the better side, when we were down to ten men by a long way, looked dangerous and thoroughly deserved our equaliser with a couple of minutes to go through Scriv (Sam Scrivens). I thought the same again in extra time, we just saw it out going up the hill, we just made sure we were tight. In the second half we bombed on to it and to go in front with three minutes to go through young Jordan Barnett, he’s just a different class what’s coming into the club, you’d think we’d won the game, but to be fair to Dod’orth straight away they put us on the back foot from the centre and again Danny Barlow punishes us with a worldly strike. I said to the lads, you’ve worked hard, you didn’t deserve to lose the game but it goes to a lottery with a penalty shoot-out and they won the lottery. We’re never going to blame Wayne Hughes for missing his penalty, it’s one of those things, he’s had the guts to take the penalty and what I’ve told them in the changing rooms afterwards not to let it affect what a great season he’s had as an individual, it’s been superb. I know for a fact that we’ll go again on Saturday and rectify that and we will finish second in the league which is another great achievement by any Penistone team and another bit of history.
So all in all I’m gutted for the lads, gutted for Wetts (assistant manager Mark Wetton) and Dave (Hampshire) and everybody who does everything behind the scenes at the club.
It just wasn’t meant to be but I’m sure we’ll put it right Saturday and we’ll go again next season and go one step further.
Thanks for all the support that came to Emley it was really good to see everyone out in numbers and we’ll go again on Saturday. Up the Church!

PCFC Club secretary Dave Hampshire added
“I’m totally gutted for the lads they played really well especially when we went down to ten men they put that extra effort in and I thought we stepped up the mark, Lenny (manager Steve Lenthall) and Wetts (assistant manager Mark Wetton) changed the formation a bit, stuck Wayne Hughes up front and we took it to them, we put young Jordan Barnett on as well who ran at their defence with a fresh pair of legs.
We conceded our first goal to a really good quality ball through from Danny Barlow to their lad who took it really well goalie James Birch had no chance, but we stuck at it.
Second half we went down to ten men and then went at them and thoroughly deserved our equaliser from Sam Scrivens, it was a bit of a scruffy shot and we had some chances before that to have got in.
They’ve really worked hard when you think that they’ve played last week Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday Saturday and Sunday and they’ve played again today (Thursday) and you could tell there were some tired legs. Ross Levesley played with a hamstring injury which went and then we had to change our formation again and put Wayne Hughes back Sparky (Mark Crossfield) went into the middle and started to create things there. There was only one team I thought were going to win it and when young Jordan Barnett scored with two minutes to go I thought that’s it, the cup’s coming back to us, we’ve done it we’ve thoroughly deserved it in my opinion, they’ll have their opinions I suppose that they were the better side but a neutral watching that game will know that we should have come home with that cup. Then you have another piece of quality again from them from Danny Barlow, we were saying to them don’t let him cross it, stay tight and they just gave him a yard and that’s all he needed and he curled a beautiful shot past Lewis Dickinson who had to go in goal through James Birch getting injured. There were certain things went against the team but I’m so, so proud of them because they stood up to it, they gave all, one hundred and ten percent effort, they’ll be really down but they can be really proud of their selves and Lenny and Wetts can be proud of them and we’re very proud of what they’ve done today and where they’ve come from to where they are today a really good team, hopefully next season we can keep them together and they’ll be trophies to come I have no doubt it with this team. Up the Church!

Saturday 15th April
NCEL Div 1
Selby Town 1-1 Penistone Church FC
Scorer for Church – Scott Whittington 69
Scorer for Town – Dane Mortimer 35
Attendance – 381
After the game manager Ian Richards said after the game,
“By the end of the ninety minutes I’m pleased with the point and a little bit disappointed we didn’t take all three against a very good Selby side, a much improved Selby side, a Selby side who have been seven unbeaten and six clean sheets, drew with Emley nil-nil here last week so on reflection after the game you think a point is a good point at half time it definitely was because I thought first fifteen where we started bright and looked composed in possession, we were disappointing for the next thirty and they dictated the game and they dictated our back line which ended up being a lot deeper, they were quicker to the seconds they were quicker to the ball forward and they deserved to go in at half time one-nil up. Again we conceded a weak goal for us it was second phase from a free kick, we’ve not closed the cross down quick enough and we’ve let number five (Dane Mortimer) run free and score the header, again not like us, we must do better on that.
At half time it was very constructive, it was very much about how we wanted to play better and play five or ten yards higher up the pitch and we did that and were just a bit closer together as a team and mark space rather than mark an individual man and if a man comes into your space then pick them up and we did that better. That allowed the front three to get more joy and get the ball in behind and start getting them facing their own goal which we did. The second half, on play, we were the better team for thirty to thirty five minutes and we deserved to equalise and we’ve had three cleared off the line one by the lad that’s made a great block, the keepers made two great saves, we’ve had a couple of corners so I’m a bit disappointed that the lads haven’t got three points, I just spoke to them after and just asked did you enjoy that second half better, they said yes and I asked them why rather than me telling them why they told me and everything they said was exactly what I said and they know and I’ve said to them these next ten days are our most important ten days for the club and they know what to do it’s now over to them, me, Duncan Richards and Andy Ring have got them this far, along with them obviously so it’s over to them, it’s about winners and leaders on that pitch and putting that second half into every single game.
I’m really pleased we haven’t come off with any fresh injuries, new injuries which is a rarity for us in the last few weeks so I’ve got what I want, a little bit of a selection headache on Tuesday which is what I really want because then I know I’ve got competition in the starting eleven, I’ve got competition on the bench
This game was part of the “Ground Hopper” event and all the people saw a true reflection of Penistone Church in the second half, it was a good point and it keeps us fifth and it’s in our hands now to finish in that top five in the final game.
We look forward to the NCEL League Cup Semi-final on Tuesday (18/04/2017) which is an opportunity to get to the final at Bramhall Lane, we’ll be giving everything we can, we look forward to a good crowd and we’ll make sure we finish in that top five on Saturday and prepare for the play-offs.
Thanks to all who came to watch, we’ll see you Tuesday”.

Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Premier Division
AFC Penistone Church 1-2 Handsworth Parramore Res (h)
Scorer for Church - Tim Council
After the game AFC Church manager Steve Lenthall had this to say,
“Firstly I'd like to thank again everyone who came to support us Thursday night at the Association Cup Final and then came and showed their support today. It just shows what this club is all about.

Onto the game. I'm gutted again, although not at our best we deserved at least a point against a good organised Handsworth side but I can only put the winning goal down to tiredness and no fault of any of my players. We were missing five players from the final so I brought five under eighteens in who I thought showed great character and put a stamp on how strong we will be next season so I'd like to congratulate them.

On the moaning point of it all I'm disappointed in how the league have set our fixtures and feel we are a massive victim of our own success by having to play so many games in so little time with no hold up this week having to play Wednesday then again Saturday. Both myself and Mark Wetton set ourselves and our squad out to achieve everything possible and to reach quarter finals in the league cup and the final of the Association cup and it’s still in our hands to finish runners up in the league. I personally don't think the league have helped us.
I will again praise every player for what they have achieved and how much they have put into the season and just hope they get what they deserve and finish runners up in the league. I think there's a song in the charts what fits the bill, “We’re Only Human”!!!!!

Wragg Football League
Penistone Church O35s 1-2 Carribean Sports (h)

Sunday 16th April
Baldes Super Draw Sunday Sports League Division 1
Intake Old Boys 0-2 Penistone Church FC Sunday Side
Scorers for Church – Tom Almond and George Orrell
After the game Manager Tom Eaton said, I can't give the lads enough credit for what they have done today. We turned up with a number of players running on empty or carrying injuries that in most circumstances shouldn't have played today, but against a very strong Intake Old Boys we have yet again ground a fantastic result out. At times it wasn't pretty and they frustrated us but we dug in and got a couple of goals in the last 10 minutes to win the game. Also a huge praise for our goalkeeper Adam Lawlor who was making his debut and was outstanding. We now need one win from our final two games or just a point against Woodseats next week to secure the league title. Man of the match today Tom Almond.

FIXTURES
Tuesday 18th April
NCEL League Cup Semi-final
Penistone Church FC v Glasshoughton Welfare (h)
Kick off 7-45 pm

Wed 19th April
Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Premier Div
Houghton Main v AFC Penistone Church (a)
Kick off 6-00 pm
Also
Wragg Football League
Penistone Church O35s v Fossils FC (h)
Kick off 6-00 pm

Thursday 20th April – We host
The County Senior League Cup Final
Kick off 7-00 pm

Saturday 22nd April
NCEL Div 1
Glasshoughton Welfare v Penistone Church FC (a)
Kick off 3-00 pm

Wragg Football League
Penistone Church FC v Elsecar Dynamoes (h)
Kick off 2-15 pm

Wed 26th April
Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Premier Division
Swinton Athletic v AFC Penistone Church (a)
Kick off 6-00 pm