Papplewick gear up for crucial double-header in Notts Premier League

Second-placed Papplewick face Plumtree on Saturday before a re-arranged game against Kimberley on Sunday.

And Bhabra, who captained the side last weekend in the absence of Sam Johnson, feels back-to-back wins will give his side crucial confidence as well as points.

“We have got a double header this weekend so it will be a big weekend that will sort of shape the last half of our season,” he said.

“We are looking forward to it. If we can get two wins it would just breed confidence going into the back half of the season.

“We have only lost two games, which is the joint lowest in the league and that gives us confidence.

“Saturday was very disappointing (defeat to Wollaton) when it was a game we expected to win.

“We played them the week before and won convincingly, so it was very disappointing to go to their place and lose.

“They are a different team at their place, they know how to play there and we were missing our captain which was a big loss.

“It was good that we bounced back against Hucknall on Sunday. We were just glad to get a game in with the weather that was around.”

And although they are sitting pretty in the table, Bhabra is keen for his side to not pay too much attention to the standings and to maintain their focus.

“The league table is a weird one at the moment,” he added.

“Kimberley have four games in hand, so we can’t really look at the table and say ‘that is where we are.’

“You almost have to take the league table with a pinch of salt with the way the season has gone because of COVID, but it is definitely in our hands.

“We will be right up there if we win our games.

“We have the experience of last year, it really gave us the confidence that we can compete with the top teams.

“Beating Kimberley to make it to the semi-finals last year really gave us the confidence that we can compete against big sides, even though we don’t have some of the big names that Kimberley or Cavaliers have.”