We can only go up at the moment, says Lovell

Wednesday 09th December 2009

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell says fortunes will change for the better as soon as his senior players return to fill fitness, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Homelands club slumped to the foot of the Ryman League Division One South table last night, after Whitstable Town’s “diabolical” 3-0 defeat at basement side Chipstead.

However, due to waterlogged pitches at Homelands Stadium, Lovell’s men have games in hand over all the other sides involved in the relegation scrap.

“It’s very frustrating but in a way it can help because we’ve got a few out with injuries and suspensions so in one way it’s not a good thing not to play the games, but another, it gives the boys a chance to get back and be in contention again,” Lovell told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Scott Chalmers-Stevens, the keeper, should be back in contention for a week Saturday, Toby Ashmore is still two or three weeks away, Paul Jones, again, is still two or three weeks away but Ross Morley should be back for Saturday, so should Joe Fuller.”

Lovell takes his side to Leatherhead on Saturday, looking for revenge for their FA Cup exit there earlier in the season.

He said: “We owe them one really! We played them in the Cup and went down to two late goals after having the majority of the game, so it would be nice to go up there and get revenge.

“The main thing is to get back to not conceding silly goals. You don’t mind someone scoring a thirty yarder, you can’t do anything about that!”

Chipstead’s win last night has seen Ashford Town slump to the foot of the table, with 11 points from 16 games.

Lovell said: “If you don’t get the points, that’s what happens. But we’ve still got three or four games in hand.

“It’s all about the performances really and the Whitstable game was very disappointing. But prior to that, Chatham and Burgess Hill away we played really well, we just have to stop the individual errors.

“Anybody can beat anybody in this league so that’s what we’ve got to take into the next stage of the season.

“We’ve got a lot of home games coming up and hopefully if we can get our senior players back performing like they did last year, with the youngsters that we’ve got coming though, we should be fine.

“The thing is last year we had the likes of Mitchell Sherwood, Paul Jones, Sean Ray, Jimmy Elford and the Brathwaite’s and you can afford to carry one or two as you’ve got seven or eight senior players who can push you through.

“But unfortunately this year the older ones have to be on their game all the time as they haven’t got the senior lads to pull them through. They’ve got to make sure they’re on their game to help the youngsters.”

“It is different from last year,” recalled the Welshman. “I went 15-16 games undefeated and in 13 of them I didn’t change the team. I spoke to (Folkestone Invicta manager) Neil Cugley last night and he’s been in a position where they haven’t changed the team for ten games and when you’ve got that you’ve got a good chance of doing something. Everybody gets to know each other, you know the way you play and it helps.

“As a manager you’ve got confidence in your team to go out there and perform to the highest standards.

“Our players are good enough, they’ve proved that their good enough. It’s just the consistency again. The consistent teams will be the ones that will be near the top.”

When asked if he has the funds to bring in fresh faces, Lovell replied, “If they’re out there and available, we’ll bring them in. It’s getting the right blend of player that you want.

“When I have everyone back fit my squad is good enough. I don’t need to bring players in. The players I’ve got they should be good enough to win games.

“If I didn’t think they couldn’t win any games then I would bring in three or four but I’m not going to do that unless I get someone brilliant in, which you’re not going to get because they’ll be playing somewhere else.

“When you’re on a bit of a bad run it effects your confidence, it’s natural, but we trained on Saturday and you wouldn’t think we were down the bottom when we trained. We have to take that into the games.

“We’ve got, I think, eight games in January and seven games in February, so 15 games in two months, which is loads, and that’s where our season is going to be decided.

“We can only go up at the moment, we will be able to push forward when everyone is back fit.”

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

Leatherhead v Ashford Town

Ryman League Division One South

Saturday 12th December 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Fetcham Grove, Guildford Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 9AS