Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Lewis hoping to shore up defence
HAYES & Yeading are hoping to have two new defenders on board by Saturday as they look to build from the back, writes Tim Street.
United leaked six goals at home to Merthyr a fortnight ago, and despite following that up with a an impressive 1-0 win over Chesham United, they crashed out of the FA Cup 2-0 to Ryman Premier side Worthing on Saturday.
Although top scorer Lloyd Macklin still faces up to six weeks on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury, director of football Tristan Lewis is more concerned with plugging the gaps at the back.
He said: “It’s the back four we want to fix first and foremost. We had one or two additions we were hoping to have had in place last Saturday, but they didn’t want to be cup tied.
“One is a centre back and the other a full back. Both have played at a higher level, and we’re hoping to have them in place by this Saturday.”
United will still be missing Tom Broadbent, who is on Army duties, as well as Macklin for the trip to Cinderford, but Adam Everitt will be back from suspension to face a side propping up the Southern Premier table.
Lewis said: “Cinderford might be bottom, but at the moment we’re not strong enough to underestimate anybody, and they’re probably looking at us thinking it’s an opportunity to get their season going.”
Lewis also revealed that United, who travel to Kettering Town three days after the trip to Cinderford, have received seven-day approaches for some of their players.
Following the Kettering clash, United’s next four home games will all be played at Beaconsfield SYCOB, as the club continue to work on gaining a safety certificate for their own ground.
Meanwhile, Lewis believes it could have been a different outcome against Worthing had Harold Joseph not been sent off midway through the first half for a professional foul.
He added: “It all hinged on the sending off, especially with such young players. We were in the game until then and had a good chance, but going down to 10 men made it even harder.
“The disappointing thing is the ref didn’t give it, the linesman did. We lost our attacking impetus after that, and both goals were soft ones to concede.
“We’re hoping to have a settled squad soon, and we’re building slowly with a lot of young players – but supporters aren’t interested in potential, they want success now.”