Cartworth Moor are seeking an “injection of enthusiasm and youth” to help the club plot their future.

The Drakes League associate members are bottom of both the Jedi Sports Championship Two and Cedar Court Conference Two as the season enters its second half.

Cartworth – perched high above Holmfirth – returned to the Drakes fold this season when the old Huddersfield Central League fragmented, but rules dictated they had to have two teams when, previously, they operated with just one.

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While the likes of Edgerton & Dalton firsts – who have reached the Fired Up Paddock Shield final – and Nortonthorpe have enjoyed some success in the second XI ranks, it’s been hard graft for the famous old Holme Valley club, who were founded in 1887.

First-team captain John Addy – the former Dalton and Almondbury player who was a junior at Cartworth – explained the situation.

“We are keen to bring in people who want to play regular cricket, get involved in the club and enjoy themselves playing the game,” he said.

“We have an ageing team with people who are not going to be playing cricket much longer and we need some fresh blood for the club to survive.

“If enthusiasm and youthfulness can also deliver the quality we need then great, because we are at a crossroads.

“We have managed to survive the last few years by hook or by crook, but we couldn’t survive in the Huddersfield League last time paying players, because it didn’t fit with the size of cricket club we are.

“Then we lost a full team of players and others decided to move elsewhere, whith is their prerogative. We don’t hold any grudges.”

Addy, who has been back at Cartworth Moor for five years, says they are too isolated to run a junior section but can offer enjoyable cricket and good facilities.

“We are running two teams again with a mixture of long-established cricketers at the end of their careers – but who keep renewing their careers – and young lads who are very young and, in some cases, not really ready.

“So we are after people who want to come along, get involved in the club and bring their enthusiasm to play on a regular basis.”

Cartworth were fined £100 for not turning out a team in the Total Indoor Cricket Solutions T20 Shield first round at Flockton in June but, other than that, they have fulfilled their fixtures.

The Drakes League cut-off for registrations is at the end of this month.

Secretary Stuart Clayton added: “In the past, we have had good young players spend time with us and they have all benefited from the experience, so we are hoping the same can happen now and for the future.

“We have good facilities and the field is looking excellent, but we are battling on the playing front it would just be brilliant to have a few more options in our selection.”

Clayton can be contacted on 07979 610865 for anyone who would like to sign.