Kentish Football 
I have the backing of the board, insists Lovell
Friday 01st January 2010
ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell says he feels frustrated as things conspire against him as he battles to beat the drop, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Nuts & Bolts are rooted to the foot of the Ryman League Division One South going into the New Year, having collected only two wins and five draws from their eighteen games.
A 1-0 defeat at their table-topping neighbours Folkestone Invicta on Boxing Day leaves the club six points adrift of third-from-bottom side Whitstable Town.
A poor playing surface at Homelands Stadium has meant that Ashford Town have played only FIVE league games at home, and Lovell hopes for more luck when Folkestone Invicta visit tomorrow.
“Their goal was a bit of luck in the first half, which came off Ryan Briggs’ head and went straight into their centre half and he stuck it in the net,” Lovell told BBC Radio Kent after his side’s defeat at Cheriton Road.
“First half we had two or three really decent chances. I think if we could have taken them it would have been a different story but we weren’t in the game then.
“Darren (Ibrahim), our keeper has made two good saves in the second half, we hit the post. It could have gone either way second half, but all in all it was a typical local derby where it was all blood and guts and they’ve happened to come out on top.
“But we’re not getting the run of the ball at all at the moment. When you’re down there that’s what happens. We just have to keep going, keep battling and hopefully it will turn around.”
When asked about his side’s league position, Lovell replied, “In real terms, it’s not a worry. It’s a game of football. It’s something that we go out and enjoy and try and do week in, week out.
“There’s a lot of people in a lot worse positions than us. It’s a game of football. We do our best. We’re at the bottom of the league at the moment and we’ll try and get off the bottom. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. There’s nothing anyone can try and do about it but try hard and try and do it and that’s what me and Hugo (Langton) are trying to do and the players are trying to do it and hopefully everyone else at the football club will support us.
“As I’ve always said before, if people want to support us, fine. If they don’t then they’re not worth it, so I will just carry on what I’m doing and I will try and make the club rise up the league like everybody else is at the club.
“I hope people will stand by that and accept that. If they don’t, then it’s down to them. That’s their own opinions.”
The Welshman revealed that he has the full backing of his chairman, Don Crosbie.
“I’ve always had full support from everybody in connection from that side of it, always,” said Lovell.
“We can only do what we can do and they’ve told me that at the start of the season and that’s what’s happening now.
“I can only do what I’ve been given to do with and what I can work with and I will continue doing that until I’m told otherwise.
“As far as behind the scenes, I can’t do anything about what’s happening at the football club. All I can do is try and make it happen on the field, but I’m sure I will sit down with my chairman over the weekend and we’ll have another discussion and see what we can do to put it right.”
The lack of home games and somewhere suitable to train has left Lovell frustrated, as he plans for a fixture pile-up towards the end of the season.
“It’s not about money,” he added. “It helps obviously when you’ve got it, but most of the teams in the league are in the same situation as I am.
“It’s about injuries and players out injured, which I’ve got, experienced players and to be honest the biggest thing is I haven’t been able to train for the last three weeks and that is really, really annoying from my point of view.
“I need to train. We need indoor facilities to train but we can’t get them. The weather’s been bad and it effects the players and it’s really frustrating as a manager and it’s something I’ve got to address. I need to have a place to train.”
And when asked about pressure, Lovell replied, “The only pressure I’m under is from myself. People can put pressure on me but I don’t take any notice of that. It’s down to me. I put pressure on myself because I want to do well and it’s frustrating when things don’t go the way you perhaps want them to do.
“But it’s not pressure from anybody else. I can handle that. It’s pressure I put on myself.”
Quotes courtesy of BBC Radio Kent www.bbc.co.uk/kent
Visit Ashford Town’s website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk
Ashford Town v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 2nd January 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ
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