Injuries have knocked us for six, admits Lovell

Wednesday 24th February 2010

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell says he will keep faith with his younger players and hopes that his influential more experienced players keep fit for the last remaining nine weeks of the season, writes Stephen McCartney.

Ashford’s home game against Metropolitan Police tonight was postponed at noon due to a waterlogged pitch at Homelands Stadium and their next game is a six-pointer at Chipstead on Saturday.

Ashford climbed off the foot of the Ryman League Division One South table with a 3-2 home win over Horsham YMCA last weekend (they were 2-0 down at one stage) and that followed a morale-boosting 1-0 win at Dulwich Hamlet seven days earlier.

The Kent side are now only seven points adrift of Mark Tompkins’ side - a team that are in 18th place in the table and are showing the green shoots of recovery when all seemed lost a few weeks ago.

Lovell has been plagued by injuries to key players this term, but the side are finally showing some form and are confident that they can maintain their present status for next term.

“We have good youngsters coming through who deserve a chance,” Lovell told www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk.

“I do know if available players and with our injury record I need to but at the moment the youngsters deserve a chance.

“Tom Murphy as well, we will be keeping an eye on what happens to him at the Gills, but I hope he gets a pro contract because he deserves it.”

Next Tuesday, Lovell takes his side to Ryman Premier League side Cray Wanderers in the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Cup.

And the Welshman said: “I’m putting out a team next Tuesday, which will be good enough. I’m putting out a strong team against Cray with the majority of players from this Saturday playing. There’s a couple of players who need games to keep match fit.”

And it’s players’ lack of match fitness that has concerned the Ashford boss throughout the entire season.

He said: “All the players are playing for next season, to stay with us. We have a good squad there, we just need to keep fit.

“I thought this season we would have been in the top half of the table, but injuries knocked us for six. We lost players in all positions, goalkeepers, defenders, midfield, etc etc.

“Last year the team picked itself. This year I don’t remember being able to pick the same team for two games on the trot.

“We should survive relegation if all the team keeps fit and we carry on playing as we are, there should be no problem.

“Saying that, this game kicks you in the teeth but I’d like to think we’ve had all our bad luck for this season.”

Lovell, meanwhile, has signed Chris Borchescu, 19, from Ryman League Division One North high-flyers Thamesmead Town.

Speaking about signing the midfielder, Lovell said: “We have an extremely busy period coming up over the next few weeks and we need as many fit players on board as possible.

“He is a good player and will certainly do a job for us when called upon. We don’t have many natural left-footers in the side so we will add another dimension to our play and will hopefully prove to be a great acquisition until the end of the season.”

Quotes courtesy of www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk

Chipstead v Ashford Town

Ryman League Division One South

Saturday 27th February 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At High Road, Chipstead, Surrey CR5 3SF