WARRINGTON Town skipper Ciaran Kilheeney says the squad can challenge at the top end of the Evo-Stik Premier Division despite a “hit and miss” start to the campaign.

The Yellows are in the mix for a play-off spot in their first season at a new level but have been in inconsistent form so far.

The failure to put a solid run of results together cost managerial duo Stuart Mellish and Lee Smith their jobs.

They parted company with the club by mutual consent immediately after a 2-1 home defeat to Workington last month.

Striker Kilheeney says it was “a massive blow” to the squad to lose the pair but backed his teammates to achieve their targets.

“It’s never nice to lose a manager so early in the season and this was no different,” he said.

“It was a massive blow and we were all shocked but we’ve got to put it behind us and move on now. The new manager has come in and we have to work hard for him.

“We’re there or thereabouts as a squad. It only needs minor surgery and we’ll be up there challenging.

“The challenge for us now is to put a consistent run of results together. No-one is really running away with the league so if we can do that, we’re in with a great shout.”

Paul Carden has been appointed to replace Mellish and Smith, with former Yellows striker Mark Beesley, a former teammate of Kilheeney, returning to Cantilever Park as first-team coach and another ex-player Craig Robinson as assistant manager.

Following last year’s record-breaking promotion from the Evo-Stik First Division North, Yellows chairman Toby Macormac has set his sights on bringing Football League action to the club by the year 2020.

Kilheeney, who can list Southport, Droyslden and Chorley among his former clubs, believes a little more strength in depth would see Town challenging again.

“We’ve got an unbelievable spirit in the dressing room. The core of players who won promotion are still here,” he said, prior to the debuts of Danny Hattersley and Kristian Platt on Saturday.

“We could just do with a little more strength in depth. We’ve been hit and miss so far but I think two or three additions is what we need.”

A vastly experienced non-league goalscorer with brief Football League experience during a spell at Exeter City, the 32-year-old wears the captain’s armband for Town.

He is in his second spell with the club having enjoyed two successful seasons at Cantilever Park before leaving for Droyslden in 2014.

However, he returned to the Yellows ahead of last season to lead them to promotion and was also named in the First Division North’s Team of the Season.

After breaking the 40-goal mark last season, Kilheeney has started in positive fashion this year by netting seven goals so far.

He says leading the team out every game is “a massive honour”.

“When you are appointed captain, it’s a lot of responsibility but I think it says a lot about what the manager thinks of you,” he said.

“It’s a nod to how you conduct yourself in training and in games so it makes me very proud.

“This club has been very good to me so to be captain is such a massive honour.”