Adam Yates frustrated by Matlock Town's enforced COVID break

The Gladiators were forced to postpone the weekend home game with Scarborough Athletic and Tuesday night’s visit of Nantwich Town.

The FA Trophy visit to Coalville Town on Saturday is also in doubt, with Town next planned to be in action on Tuesday at Atherton Colleries.

It leaves Yates frustrated at the halt in momentum following a good start to the campaign.

“We started off tremendously, but we know its a long hard season,” he said.

“We started last season off well so I know how, especially around the winter time, that is the crunch time and we need to keep the results going during that period. It's a massive period with the amount of games.

“Matches getting called off is disappointing and it's disappointing that the momentum has been broken.

“We were meant to have training on Tuesday, but we had more positive cases so it didn't happen.

“We are not out of the woods by any respect and it's frustrating.

“You don't want to get too many games in hand, you'd rather have points in the bag than a backlog of fixtures.

“A backlog can take its toll on the lads who are working, it can back up at the end of the season and you don't want that.

“You don't want too many games in a week or you can't get the best out of the lads.”

But Yates feels that his side are better placed this season to keep up their push at the top.

“I think we are demanding more from each other as a squad and from our colleagues in the team,” he added.

“If someone has a tough time we are helping out on the field, there and then, and not just in the dressing room.

“As a squad we are demanding more week in week out and we want to have a consistency of performance, it has to be there. It has not happened in previous seasons.

“We have looked solid at the back and that has been the start of our success really. The solid defence has given us the platform to go nick games.”