Atherstone Town's new "in-house" team selectors will be aiming to make the right choices to keep the club on course for an unprecedented league and FA Vase double.

Convention may have gone out of the window but the Midland Football League Division One title – or at the very least a top four promotion spot – is still very much "on the cards", according to club chairman Brian Henney.

And Adders have home advantage in their next three fixtures – Heath Hayes on Saturday, the derby challenge of Hinckley AFC next Wednesday night – and the dream tie against Northern League opponents Consett AFC in the Vase quarter-final on February 29.

Victory in that game – fittingly on Leap Year Day which only comes round every fourth year – will be a leap of faith for a team shorn of the influence of Scott Rickards and Mike Fowler, the driving forces behind Atherstone's incredibly successful playing season, who quit following matchday race abuse accusations by their own fans.

It is already a history-maker for Town CFC – having never reached the last eight in the competition previously – and would be just a step away from a Wembley footballing final for the beleaguered Sheepy Road club, off the field.

Chairman Henney is still full of confidence for a team with up to six games in hand on their rivals above them in the table.

Win all those matches plus the still-to-play home encounter with leaders Leicester Road, and the Division One title could be coming home to the Mark West Webster Community Stadium.

Despite the dramas of last Saturday at Stafford Town, the Adders enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 result with a brace from Ray Harkin and an opener from Perry Cotton.

Only the storm clouds of what Dennis left behind threaten the Adders' immediate progress on the field.

Their backlog of fixtures is worrying, having missed out on playing Tuesday's Birmingham County FA Midweek Challenge Cup against Black Country Rangers due to the Dudley Sports ground at Hillcrest Avenue being waterlogged.

Storm Dennis hasn't done Sheepy Road any favours either , so expect pitch inspections to figure prior to Saturday's game against Heath Hayes going ahead as chairman Henney added: "As you'd expect, we're doing all we can to keep the fixture alive."

Asked about who is picking the side for the Heath Hayes fixture, the chairman quipped to Nub News: "It's an 'in-house' decision.

"As we explained, the club has taken control of team affairs."