Our league position does not overly concern me, says Tunbridge Wells boss Jason Bourne

TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ manager Jason Bourne insists his side will pull away from the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division relegation dog-fight.

The Wells welcome eleventh-placed Rochester United to Culverden Stadium tomorrow looking to pull away from the bottom four.

Last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at seventh-placed Whitstable Town last lifted spirits ahead of tomorrow’s game, with Tunbridge Wells sitting on 20 points form 24 games and are just one point clear of the relegation zone, which is currently occupied by Beckenham Town and Fisher.

Bourne says his side have their future in their own destiny going into their final 14 league games.

“We welcome Rochester United to the Culverden for which I’m sure will be an entertaining game to start what should be a very competitive run of fixtures to finish the season,” said Bourne.

“The league table tells no lies at this time of the season and no amount of bad luck or injury problems make you league position false.  The top teams as well as the bottom teams are where they are on merit, simple as that.

“Am I happy with the squad, shape, players’ performances, training, support from the club? The answer is yes!

“For that reason and given the spirit in the camp our league position does not overly concern me as we have five or six big games with all the teams around us, which we are in total control of and regardless of what has happened so far this season we have a great club and will pick up the points required to finish comfortably, I’m sure.”

Reflecting on last week’s draw at Whitstable Town, Bourne said: “I saw a very good performance from my side of the fence.  There is no beating around the bush that we were not expected to take anything from many people but the fact of the matter was every player fought harder than their opposite number and earned the right to play.

“We were gutted to only take one point in the end having limited a top side in Whitstable to scraps.

“We now must bring that mentality to every game as a starting point to show everyone this group of players will go onto better things with the club.”

Tunbridge Wells finished in fourteenth-place in the table last season on 39 points from 39 league games and Bourne is keen to finish in the same sort of position this time out.

He said: “In my limited managerial experience we faced a similar battle last season and finished strong so I can draw from those experiences and now need to personally learn from mistakes made to take it to the next level for myself and the club I love, to progress.

“The lads will have to be at their very best every week and we have the characters and leaders to ensure we won’t let up.

“We are a hungry group and I know we will step up to the challenge set and lay down a marker of their own to get ourselves out of the position we are currently in.”

Meanwhile, the club have still not heard the outcome of an abandoned home game earlier on in the season.

“Just to confirm, we’re still awaiting clarification as to what will happen with the Tunbridge Wells v Croydon game abandoned back in September,” said a club statement.

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.com

Tunbridge Wells  v  Rochester United
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 4^th March 2017
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG