HALESOWEN Town boss John Hill hopes the team’s enforced break from playing will prove a blessing in disguise.

The delay in games has given some of Hill’s walking wounded the chance to recover ahead of the trip to Brigg Town on Saturday.

Halesowen remain four points clear on top of Evo-Stik League Northern Division One South but Hill claimed: “The break in games has prevented us from stealing a march on our rivals, but we remain 12 to 13 points in the play-off places.”

However, Hill was highly critical of Halesowen’s Christmas schedule which saw them travel to Nottingham and Leicester.

He claimed: “It was a bit disappointing that we had to travel so far for those games and then to be denied a real money-spinner on New Year’s Day when the game with Chasetown was called off.”

Hill paid tribute to his players and claimed: “I’ve said it before, but they’re a real genuine bunch of lads. It’s no secret to why we’ve won seven games on the trot because of the work-rate they produce. Everyone is willing to put in a shift and that’s why we’ve been grinding out results.”

Elliot Turner returned to training this week for the first time in two months while long-time injury victim Chris Lait has resumed light training. Brendan Kelly replaces the suspended Asa Charlton at Brigg.