Lovell pleased with impressive performances ahead of vital festive period

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell wants his side to continue their rise up the Ryman League Division One South table, writes Stephen McCartney.

It has been a very good ten days for the Nuts & Bolts, as they followed up their impressive 3-2 win at league leaders Kingstonian with wins over Eastbourne Town (1-0), and a convincing 5-1 win at Leatherhead last night.

As a result, they have climbed up to eleventh place in the table with 30 points from 21 games - just three points from a Worthing side that occupy the fifth and final play-off berth.

But Lovell, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk this afternoon, is pleased his side have now stretched their unbeaten run to seven league games.

“We’ve had good results, good performances and hopefully now we can push forward,” he said.

“We played well for the last eight or nine games really, with a lot of draws, so really we’ve played no different, but we’ve managed to get the results.”

Goals from recent arrival, Elliott Brathwaite, James Humphreys, Sean Ray, Mitchell Sherwood and Craig Wilkins, ensured the Kent club maintained their 100% record over the Surrey club, winning all three of their meetings.

“It was a good result, it was on a very muddy pitch, which obviously didn’t suit us, but we adapted very well,” said Lovell.

“It’s very pleasing to know that we can mix it up when we have to.

“The main thing was the team performance, everybody dug in defensively from the forwards, all the way back to the goalkeeper.

“The attacking side, the goals were spread around. The two centre halves got goals, two midfield players and a forward, so it’s pleasing that everybody is coming together and helping each other out.”

Before local rivals Folkestone Invicta visit The Homelands on Saturday, 27^th December, Ashford play two sides that occupy the two relegation spots.

Basement boys Crowborough Athletic are the visitors on Saturday before Lovell takes his side to Walton Casuals seven days later.

“We go into any game with confidence, but you’ve got to be aware of any opposition in our league,” warned Lovell.

“Crowborough, they’ve lost by the odd goal in their last five games, so it’s going to be very tight and very difficult.

“We’ll approach it in the same way as we did against Kingstonian last week.”

Such performances like last night’s one at Fetcham Grove means Lovell cannot tinker with his side to face a Crowborough side that are finding life at their highest ever level very tough indeed.

“The only selection problems I’ve got are the boys on the bench who have played a lot of games for me but can’t get into the team,” explained Lovell.

“I’ve got a good problem. I’ve got to play the boys who are performing for me at the moment.

“I know it’s a squad game and those players on the bench will come in and will be needed quite a lot between now and the end of the season.”

With the festive period fast approaching, Lovell knows his players will remain professional and will not over divulge.

He said: “I’d like to think they’re adult and mature enough to have the respect that we have for them.

“There’s a lot of people relying on them to work hard over the Christmas period and I’m sure they won’t let that get in their way.

“You want people to enjoy themselves but also they need to be professional. It’s only a couple of days so I’m sure they’ll do that.”

But Lovell insisted Ashford Town are one of the clubs that will have a say in who gets promoted into the Ryman Premier League.

“I think it’s going to be very close this year all the way to the end,” he said. “There’s a lot of clubs vying for the top five positions, but I think that will remain the same all the way through to the rest of the season.

“I think it will go right down to the last few games of the season.”

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

Ashford Town v Crowborough Athletic
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 13^th December 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Homelands, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ