NUMEROUS teams would perhaps class missing out on promotion as the end of the world.

Not so Peter Conroy at Stoneclough, who has had to watch on helplessly as they have endured a miserable winter so far, one that has seen any hopes of climbing into the top flight disappear.

Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at home to Ulverston Rangers leaves Stoneclough 11 points behind leaders Lytham Town.

But the club’s secretary feels promotion this time around could do more harm than good at Fox Park, with another year in Division One the best outcome.

Not that he has enjoyed their recent barren spell, with a single point gained from the last six league matches.

“We’re having a real wobble at the moment, there’s no doubt about that,” he told The Bolton News.

“We’ve taken one point from the last 18 so I don’t see us getting promoted this season.

“It could be a blessing in disguise, I don’t think we’re quite ready to make the step up to the Premier Division just yet.

“And when you look at the teams who could be coming in and going out of this division it looks like Division One will be very local-based next year, where we’ve got a few long trips in this division right now.

“You’ve got Horwich and Croston up at the top of Division Two who could come up and Coppull United and Haslingden at the bottom of the Premier possibly coming down.

“I would say we need another season for us to re-acclimatise and re-adjust.

“We feel like we’re making progress. We would have liked a bit more progress but we’re still doing okay, we’re fourth in the table and we’ll shake ourselves down and go again.”

The first team, led by the management team of Rob Rostron, Dean Walmsley and Kevin Leader, made a decent enough start to Saturday’s league fixture, though they fell a goal behind to the visitors from Cumbria.

Kamil Demiter’s back-post header levelled up the game before half time and Jason Perry struck a thunderbolt early in the second half to put the hosts 2-1 up.

However, typical of a team’s luck when things are not going their way, Stoneclough conceded a freak goal as a cross from out wide was caught in the wind and cleared the waiting pack to nestle in the back of the goal.

And after Ulverston edged ahead Stoneclough’s bid to get back on level terms saw them concede a fourth goal late on.

“We gave everything on Saturday but Ulverston are a very good, well-organised team,” added Conroy. “To be fair, they stepped it up in the second half and deserved the result.

“They have a very similar style of play to us, we’ve come across them a lot and our win at their place earlier in the season was a close game as well.

“They got a bit of a fluke for one goal, a cross that flew in, but we’re not quite at it right now.

“We’ve no game this weekend, we’ve only got five games to go this season so we’ll see where we get to.

“You have to be on it every week in this league, the standard is too good for you not to be.

“My dark horses at the start of the season were Lytham, they are up there, and Lostock have had a good run so they’re above us now.

“We play Lostock a week on Saturday, that will be a big game for both teams.

“CMB are still there in second but I feel they’re running out of games now.

“We feel, and Ulverston will feel the same, that on our day we can beat anyone in this division.

“If you look at a good team like Eagley, they are 10th and they definitely have ability to beat a lot of teams, as they proved on Saturday.

“A lot of clubs, like us, will feel they should have done better but we’ll dust ourselves down this summer and look to do better next time around.”

Eagley did register an impressive win on Saturday, beating Hawcoat Park 2-0 with goals from Jacob Greenhalgh and Jack Cowen, while CMB kept up their challenge at the top of the table, beating Wyre Villa 4-0.

Matt Chapman netted twice with a Dan Crook penalty and Ben Thornton’s goal completing the win.

In the Premier Division Kieran Sisson held his nerve to fire home a last-minute penalty to give Turton a 2-1 win at home to Thornton Cleveleys, after Dan Locke had hit an equaliser early in the second half.

Tempest United returned from Coppull empty-handed, Kurtis Farlow scoring both goals in a 3-2 defeat.

Division Two leaders Horwich St Mary’s Victoria were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Mill Hill St Peter’s, with Matt Woods on target.

In the Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division Old Boltonians beat Burnley Belvedere 2-0 with goals from Sean Rushton and Lucas Gaynor.

Blackrod Town won 3-0 at Rossendale and Thornleigh drew 3-3 at home to Old Mancunians.

Horwich RMI were emphatic 4-1 winners at Wardle in Division One.

Bolton Lads and Girls Club were held by Elton Vale in the Manchester League, Jack Alderson and Ashley Reece scoring in a 2-2 draw.

In the Hallmark Security League First Division North, bottom two Daisy Hill and Atherton LR had 3-0 defeats, the Daisies at home to Holker Old Boys, and Rovers at Carlisle City.