We'd be happy as Larry to get into the play-off's, says Ashby

Sunday 03rd January 2010

WELLING UNITED assistant manager Barry Ashby says the club cannot rule out a stab at sneaking into the Blue Square South play-off’s at the end of the season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Wings lost 1-0 at home to Bromley on Boxing Day, but bounced back with a 2-1 win at St Albans City two days later and a Jack Parkinson header defeated Bromley at Hayes Lane on New Years Day.

Now eleventh place in the table, with 34 points from 24 games, Welling are only five points adrift of fifth-placed side Braintree Town (a side that now have former Cray Wanderers striker Michael Power in their ranks) and Ashby, who was speaking to BBC Radio Kent, is targeting the play-off’s.

But the former Gillingham ace knows the Park View Road club are working with a restricted budget.

“If we finish in the play-off’s, trust me, we’d be happy as Larry,” said Ashby.

“Again, we want to finish as high as possible. There’s no ‘we’re doing ok, we can take the foot of the gas.’ Not at all. None of us are like that.

“We have to be realistic though. Teams in our league have got better budgets, they can get a few more players in when they need players. Maybe we won’t. We’ve got two lads who are out until the end of the season and that effects us maybe more than other teams, but we’ve just got to knuckle down.

“We’ll do the best as we can, like the players will, to finish as high as we can.”

Ashby revealed that he, player-manager Jamie Day, coach Dean Frost have lifted morale within the camp.

“When we went in we had some good players,” said Ashby. “I think it was a confidence thing. There was a bit of negativity around and we just went in and try and get their confidence up, try and get positives back into their game.

“We’ve done ok. There’s more to come. It is difficult at non-league level for any club at the minute, people are worried about budgets and things like that.

“We certainly had to get rid of a few players because of budget concerns and things like that.

“The boys have worked hard and what we’ve brought for them in training they’ve taken on into the matches.”

Quotes courtesy of BBC Radio Kent - www.bbc.co.uk/kent/sport

Visit Welling United’s website: www.wellingunited.com

Welling United v Weymouth

Blue Square South

Saturday 9th January 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY