We'll be up for Folkestone, insists Ashford boss Lovell

Tuesday 22nd December 2009

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell insists his players will need no motivating for their Boxing Day trip to local rivals Folkestone Invicta, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Cheriton Road clash sees Neil Cugley’s Folkestone Invicta sitting proudly at the top of the Ryman League Division One South table, whilst Lovell’s men are struggling at the bottom.

Lovell, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, has contacted close friend Cugley earlier today, and the Boxing Day bonanza looks likely to go ahead, despite the current cold snap.

“I spoke to Cugs today and the pitch, I think, is fine,” said the Welshman. “He said if it was going to be played today it would be on, so hopefully the weather will remain pretty kind to us and we can get a game on Saturday.”

Lovell added: “They’re going well. It’s another away game for us but in this league everybody is beating everybody else, as it normally does.

“It’s a local derby, the players wouldn’t need that much motivation. They can do that themselves so it will be a good game. I’m looking forward to it.”

Folkestone Invicta go into the game on a 12 league match unbeaten run, whilst Ashford haven’t won any game in ten, and Ramsgate, who arrive at Homelands Stadium next Tuesday, are also on a good run of form (19 points out of the 24 available) and at the time of writing are in seventh place, targeting the play-off’s.

“It’s nice to have those local derbies over the festive period,” said Lovell. “The players enjoy it, we enjoy it so we’re going in on Saturday as the underdogs. You can’t get no more underdogs than that can you? Top-versus-bottom. We’ve got nothing to lose. We’ll go out there and try and put on a decent performance and hopefully we can come away with something.”

Looking forward to their next two games, Lovell added: “It’s a good time to play them, better time than any. You have to play them at some stage. Form sides have to hit a bad patch so let’s hope we can start off that bad patch for them and get something from the games.

“I just want the same as I’ve had for the majority of the season. We’ve had a lot of bad breaks and given away silly goals, silly mistakes.

“Their effort and commitment is fine. It’s just making those silly mistakes so hopefully if we can stop doing that we will get back up that league.”

Lovell revealed that Seb Barton, Scott Chalmers-Stevens, Toby Ashmore, Joe Fuller, Paul Jones and Ross Morley are presently sidelined through injury.

He added: “We’re without a lot of our more experienced players and players that would be in the team if fit. There’s no point moaning about it. We should be putting a team out on Saturday good enough to give Folkestone a game.”

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

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

Folkestone Invicta v Ashford Town

Ryman League Division One South

Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU