HURLFORD United find themselves in the unusual position of being in the bottom half of the Super Premier table.

But manager Darren Henderson knows they can rectify that by winning at Petershill today – and then putting together a winning run.

Mind you, Henderson, who played more than 500 games in a long and successful senior career, also knows it’s not as easy as that.

The Ford are currently eighth but have games in hand on five of the seven teams above them.

Henderson said: “It’s a really tough league this season. We’ve lost four games already, whereas we only lost two in total last term. I think Auchinleck are similar, and have already lost as many as they did in the whole of last season.

“The likes of Troon, Glenafton, Kilbirnie, Pollok and Rob Roy are all much improved. To be honest, though, we haven’t managed to show a lot of consistency. Our cup form has been decent but the league form has been patchy at best. We have definitely found it a lot tougher than last season.

“A lot of people might look at the league table and suggest the likes of ourselves and Talbot maybe aren’t playing so well. It’s true to a certain extent, but I prefer to give the others credit for their good form.

“But the league is very competitive this season and I can see three or four teams battling it out for the title, and the rest fighting to avoid the drop – and there will be some good teams down there.

“After tomorrow’s trip to Petershill, we have eight home games left and three away. That sounds pretty decent but we need to get some points on the board, or we will be dragged into the scrap at the bottom.

“If we win our next couple of games we will be okay, but what happens if we don’t? We might be in the quarter-finals of both the Scottish and West Cups but the league is our bread and butter.”

Henderson, 49, played for 10 Scottish league teams – including Ayr United and Ross County – during a 21-year senior career, and still laments the fact that his playing days are over.

In fact, he admitted to more than a few sleepless nights over team selections.

He said: “I enjoy being a manager but I really miss playing. In that regard you just looked after yourself.

“When you’re a coach, the starting XI manage themselves, but it’s the boys who don’t even get a jersey on a Saturday that I feel for. They train a couple of times a week, don’t get paid much and then they’re not even getting stripped. That’s the tough bit for me. I’ve been there and know what it’s like.

“I hate a Friday night when I’ve got to sit down and pick a team for the next day, and I’m putting boys on the bench, and leaving others out. I try to manage that side of it the best I can, and explain why I’m doing what I’m doing. I need to keep their heads up, focused and hopefully their turn will come.

“It’s a part of the job that I don’t enjoy, although there’s not a manger out there that will enjoy it. Sometimes when you’ve only got 16 players it’s great, you’ve got eleven starters and five subs!

“I must admit I’ve had a few sleepless nights over that, especially when it came to the junior cup final. We had boys who’d played in many of the rounds leading up to the final that didn’t even get a medal – that was tough.”

But Henderson will have his players focused on the trip to Petershill, although long-term casualties Paul Byrne, Euan Blair and Gus Cochrane are out, while David McClune (calf strain) and Martyn Brown (ankle) are concerns.

The gaffer said: “We won’t use that as excuse if we lose because we have a big enough squad and hopefully we will have enough to get over the line.

“At the moment we are two points in front of Petershill so it’s a massive game. But people look at us and think that because we’re in the quarters of both the Scottish and the West that everything is okay, but it’s not, because we don’t want to get dragged into a relegation battle.

“There are some big names that will become involved in that battle and we need to make sure we aren’t one of them.

“We’re due to face Talbot in the quarters of the Scottish a week tomorrow, so it’s important we remain focussed on the job in hand, although that won’t be easy because the Talbot match is huge.

“The hope is that a win tomorrow would kick-start a good run of results, which could maybe even see us creep into contention for the title again.”