Southern Ashton far from disheartened by Mangotsfield’s difficult start to the season
MANGOTSFIELD United manager Glyn Ashton says “fan power” is keeping the spirits up at Cossham Street amid testing times.
Far from the first time this term Field were edged out by a single goal as visiting Southern League Division One South rivals Cinderford Town inflicted the wounds with a 2-1 victory in a tight and competitive FA Trophy second qualifying round affair.
Tomorrow, Mangotsfield go in search again of those elusive first points of the season, staring up at the rest from bottom spot with mid-table Slimbridge the visitors to Cossham Street.
Ashton, nonetheless, insisted: “I’m not discouraged at all; far from it. I know we have players with bags of potential who can only improve as they all have the right attitude.
“We do need to get more experience into the club and I’m trying to strengthen in key areas.
“The support we’re getting is fantastic; we had around 200 watching on Saturday and the noise they made when we got our goal back in the second half was incredible.
“The fans must see, as I do, the potential in the team, while the players must feel they can compete hard at this level as they’ve been doing that throughout.”
Ashton admits injury and unavailability have done little to help their cause, although he is hopeful speedy left-winger Wayne Nderemani and skipper and centre-half Mircea Ilea return tomorrow from injury, while striker Marcus Kelly could also be recalled after a spell out through personal reasons.
“All three are influential lads and should make a difference to us,” said Ashton. “Saturday against Cinderford summed up our season so far; after finding ourselves 2-0 down at half-time we looked really strong in a second half of one-way traffic. Individual errors have been costing us and we need to work on it.”
Bristol Manor Farm boss Lee Lashenko is urging his men to “give it everything” at home to Bideford tomorrow after seeing a series of slender reverses continue with Tuesday night’s 3-2 away defeat by high-riding Winchester City in Division One South. “We have a ten-day break after Bideford before returning to play Thatcham Town at theirs on Tuesday week, by which time we should have the vast majority of players back from injury and suspension,” he said.
“I’m not making excuses; we had seven players sidelined at Winchester in the week who could all have expected to start had they been fit enough.
“We largely bossed the game with a threadbare side and got caught by a sucker-punch near the end. Yes, we are maybe guilty of our own adventure in going all out to win games, especially when we’re trying to put square pegs in round holes right now in trying to field a competitive team.
“But I have every faith in our players; there have been good partnerships developing among us all and the quality of talent in the squad is there for all to see.
“I know we’ll be in a good place when we have more bodies back and that we’ll be challenging for those top five promotion positions, one of whom should be Mason Winter (full-back) on Saturday as he’s served his three-game suspension.”
Despite his vigorous squad backing, Lashenko revealed he is in the market for a new striker.
“We have an eye on a centre-forward we feel could make a difference to us long-term and we’ll be putting in a seven-day (transfer) notice in the hope we can sign him,” said The Creek supremo, who snapped up popular former Frome Town defender Sam Boulton from Yate Town this week.
Paulton Rovers host Larkhall Athletic in Division One South tomorrow stung by a late Evesham United headed goal in a luckless 1-0 Wednesday night Winterfield Road reverse upon their return to action from an 11-day break.
Meanwhile, Yate Town are at home to second-placed Poole Town knowing another tough Saturday afternoon is in store at Lodge Road, as Paul Michael’s men strive to add to their solitary success of the Premier South campaign so far when travelling Dorchester Town fell prey to a 4-1 defeat.
Of the departure of 22-year-old former Yeovil Town Under-18 captain Boulton to Manor Farm, the Bluebells tweeted: “The club would like to wish Sam all the best for the future and thank him for everything he has done for the club. He is another player who was instrumental in our (2018-19) promotion campaign.”
Yate have been drawn at home against Division One South side Bideford for an FA Trophy third qualifying round tie next Saturday, October 31.