Erith & Belvedere boss Del Oldfield: We're not expecting miracles and we know it's not going to be easy and we know there'll be a few bumps along the way but we'll keep fighting, we'll keep learning and we'll keep improving

ERITH & BELVEDERE manager Del Oldfield says he has done some soul searching in a bid to end his side’s recent run of poor form.

The Deres are sitting second-from-bottom in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, winless with three points from their opening seven games.

The club has extended their winless run to five games in all competitions after losing 4-3 at home to Lordswood last Saturday and 2-1 at home to Balham in midweek.

“It's been a soul searching few days for us as a team, both individually and as a group,” said Oldfield.

“We know we're better than our run of results suggests, but we also know where we've been going wrong.

“We've had a look back, reflected, identified the areas we need to improve on and hopefully we will start to see our improvements come to fruition.

“I'm not just talking about the players either, because that's the easy route to take when things aren't going your way.

“First thing I reflected on was myself and what I can do to improve personally, not just how I can improve the team and the players.

"After a good talk with the management team we've come up with some small changes that we believe will help moving forward and truly believe we have a team that will push on to much better things as the season progresses.

“We're not expecting miracles and we know it's not going to be easy and we know there'll be a few bumps along the way but we'll keep fighting, we'll keep learning and we'll keep improving.

“I'm not making any excuses, but we've had a horrible injury list over the last month but that situation is starting to ease now and with the few good signings we've made we'll soon be ready to have a real go and achieve our objectives.”

Erith & Belvedere welcome Colliers Wood United to Park View Road tomorrow in The FA Vase Second Qualifying Round.

Oldfield said: “We've done our homework a bit on Colliers Wood but the information is always limited when you play a team from a league that you're unfamiliar with.

“At this point in proceedings though it's more important to concentrate on the things we do well as a team and implement our game plan as effectively as we can.

“I would personally like to thank everyone at the club for their continued efforts on and off the field. In such uncertain and strange times, it's good to be involved with a club that is working so hard to ensure that we have any football at all.

“This season is the rebirth of a great club and we're all learning as we go along, but one thing for sure is that we will get to where we want to be.”

Colliers Wood United are in fifteenth-place in the Combined Counties League Premier Division table.

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithandbelvederefc.clubbuzz.co.uk

Erith & Belvedere v Colliers Wood United
The Buildbase FA Vase Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 10 October 2020
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY