It's what happens on the pitch that counts, says Lovell

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell was left a frustrated man after their midweek home game with Walton Casuals was washed away, as his side prepare for back to back Kent derbies against Whitstable Town, who themselves are in trouble at the foot of the table, writes Mike Green.


Speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  in the entrance hall of Homelands after the midweek wash out, Lovell admitted that "Its a blow not to be playing tonight in front of our home fans.  We've had two consecutive good results on the road now (draws at Chatham Town and Burgess Hill Town), and I was really looking forward to coming back to Homelands tonight and getting a much needed boost before the weekend."
 
As we spoke, the players were being put through their paces by Lovell's assistant Hugo Langton in an impromptu training session around the Homelands terracing - terraces that Lovell admitted could play a big part over the coming days. 

"We know what to expect from Whitstable and their supporters who are almost as vocal as ours!" smiled the Ashford boss. 

"It'll make a nice change to have two sets of fans singing at each other - it creates an atmosphere which is often missing at this level.  That said we know, and I'm sure Whitstable are the same, that it’s what happens on the pitch that counts, and that's where we must look to get something out of both games." 
 
The Ashford boss, who saw the Oystermen's late win over Eastbourne Town on Tuesday, empathised what a number of our managers in Ryman One South have said this season. 

"Tuesday night summed this league up," Lovell said.  "Eastbourne beat Worthing 3-0 last week, and then lose at the Belmont - beat top lose to bottom!  This league is ridiculous, and so we have to go there at the weekend, and be determined. 

“A win would be nice and will set us up for coming back here next week - anything else and we've got a quick chance to get revenge!" 

Asked if he was surprised that the two clubs had rearranged the game at Homelands (which has remember already twice been postponed - once due to FA Cup involvement and once due to a  power failure with the two sides in the Homelands tunnel) for the midweek after the game at the Belmont, Lovell simply shrugged. 

"Unfortunately that's all part of football at this level," the former Welsh international admitted.  "To be fair though, I'll just be happy to play a home game - we've played 15 League games so far and only five have been at home and we haven't played a League game here in November - we had one League Cup game!  It's true you know that there really is no place like home - we don't know what it is to play a blooming home game!"

Lovell is hopeful that one of his walking wounded may have recovered in time for the weekend, but was realistic about the make up of his squad, for what is arguably the biggest Kent game in the division so far this season. 

"We'll go up there with more or less the same squad that drew at Burgess Hill last weekend - that was going to be the plan tonight before it rained,” said Lovell.

“If the extra few days gives one or two of those carrying knocks a chance to get back then all well and good but the chances are that we'll go with the same squad that we would have done tonight."

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

Visit Ashford Town’s website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town  v  Ashford Town
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 28^th November 2009  
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QJ