Manager Lock says he should be more ‘realistic’ following defeat
Sam realises there isn’t much to moan about as Burnham loss is only Port’s fourth of the season
Some lessons were learned from Holyport’s 3-2 defeat to Burnham on Saturday by both the players and managerial staff, according to Sam Lock.
Port took the lead first in this local derby thanks to Alexander Dimitrijevic’s goal in the 15th minute, before the in-form Rhys Harper restored parity for the Blues 20 minutes later.
Harper was on the scoresheet again come the hour mark and Burnham made it 3-1 with 15 minutes left of the contest thanks to Anas Igozouln.
A goal scored by Ashley Hunt in added time gave Holyport a glimmer of hope, but all three points remained with Ben Murray’s men to strengthen their position in second.
Lock admitted to being frustrated that his team didn’t have a share of the spoils at full-time, with the defeat placing them 17th in the Combined Counties Premier Division North.
But reflecting on the match with the Advertiser on Monday, he saw the positives in the loss and said he should be more realistic on what his side can achieve this season.
“Maybe I was a little bit hard on them, and a little bit hard on myself,” said Lock before adding, “I just wanted to win the game, I wanted something.
“They scored from their only three attempts at goal, and I think we had eight or nine attempts at goal.
“So, I got myself all worked up about the loss but a few of the coaches I trust – I won’t name names – who are higher up the pyramid said: ‘But you’re Holyport, you’ve got to remember you’re Holyport. You’ve not got a massive budget and you’re not trying to win the league. You’re trying to do the best you can with what you’ve got, progress players, and give them opportunities’.
“They’re right. My boys, who are 17 or 18 years old, are playing step 5 football week in week out and that is an amazing achievement.
“They are doing great this season and maybe my mindset should be a bit more realistic.
“These young boys are only going to get better, and I think they’ve got it in them to go 10 or 15 games unbeaten, I really do.
“Once it clicks, they get rid some of the errors, and most importantly learn from them, they are going to be very good. I think we showed that at the start of the season with some of the big scalps we got.
“We’ve lost four games out of the 13 we’ve played this season so I can’t moan too much. We haven’t lost by more than the odd goal and we’ve scored in every single game bar one.”
On Burnham, Lock added: “I think on their pitch they are a handful. They like to do things very pretty and very nice, and the 4G surface helps with that.
“It remains to be seen how they
adapt when the weather gets bad and the pitches get boggy. I think that will be the testing time for Burnham.
“I think they will find it tricky to stay up high in the league if I am totally honest. There are some experienced sides at this level that know how to do it.
“I look at Ascot United and they’ve got a bit of everything. They’re a team that no one wants to play against.
“They are a team that should be near to the top. If they don’t manage promotion, it will be a surprise.”
Holyport travel to Kent this weekend for an FA Vase first round proper tie with Lydd Town, and they are looking
to cause an upset against the side sitting pretty in the Southern Counties East.
“I’m really looking forward to the Vase match on Saturday,” said Lock. “We are a side that gets up for the big games.
“If we win, it’s the joint furthest the club has ever gone so the boys have an opportunity to make history.
“Lydd Town are top of their respective league so it will be a great opportunity for the boys to pit their wits against them.
“We are all really excited. We went the furthest in the FA Cup this year, so we want to do that in the Vase.”