Ashford search for local talent - EXCLUSIVE

Ashford Town are searching for a new reserve team manager to develop local talent and push them through to their first team, writes Stephen McCartney.

John Cumberbatch, joint-first team manager, knows the importance to have a reserve team manager who supports all sides at the Homelands club.

“Reserve team manager is always a difficult job because they need to get a team together,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk

“At the moment the first team squad hasn’t got a big squad but you normally have an overspill of two or three players but where we started with a squad of about 18-20 during the last couple of months the first team squad has depleted.”

Cumberbatch spoke about the criteria for the new reserve team manager. “It needs to be someone who knows local players. Its more important that reserve team players are local.

“Last season there were a few players to come through. Barry Crawford started off in the reserves and is a fairly established first teamer and one or two others who could have done the same but they fell by the way side.”

Ashford’s first team, however, have suffered three successive defeats. Having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Kentish rivals Tonbridge Angels, and losing to Croydon Athletic to a penalty for the second successive season, complacency crept in last Saturday when they lost 3-0 at bottom-of-the-table side Godalming Town.

“Everything went wrong really,” confessed Cumberbatch. “Despite telling the players that Godalming, although were bottom of the table, were certainly not going to be an easy match.

“Despite warnings that they were going to be fighting for everything, and that Godalming lost 8-1 to Dulwich Hamlet on the Tuesday, to an extent that rebounded on us despite being aware that might happen.”

Ashford Town travel to Waltham Forest, a side that have collected just three draws from their first eight outings in the Ryman League Division One North, in the preliminary round of the FA Trophy tomorrow.

Cumberbatch, however,  wants his underperforming side to string a few good results together.

“It is important we get back on track,” he said. “As a squad everyone was aware that we had a few good results and it was essential we kept it and establish ourselves in a higher division.

“But the last three results has put us back to our yo-yo situation - two steps forward, three back.”

Looking ahead to their trip to E17, Cumberbatch added: “They lost their manager last season who went over to Thurrock so they’ve got somebody new in charge and they have struggled this season.

“But I’m sure due to reorganising and not due to bad players because they have a catchment area, although there’s a lot of teams there, there is not an abundance of good players but they will always certainly be quick, powerful and strong.”

Peter Mortley (long term injury) is definitely out but Gary Clarke, whose missed the last two training sessions having spent time on the treatment table, and Barry Crawford (slight ankle injury) should be fit.

But these injuries are straining Ashford’s slender squad.

“We want to get it back to 18 because at the moment we have a squad of 16,” said Cumberbatch.

“We could do with another two definitely, but we won’t get two to make up numbers. We are looking for a utility player and a striker.”

But Cumberbatch is facing challenges attracting new players to The Homelands, and explained:” Because of our league position and any players from distance won’t want to travel to Ashford so we have to get players local to Ashford our players used to playing for teams in the area.

“There are local players that travel to Folkestone and Dover, but (we are struggling to sign new players) because of our league position and we are not offering big money.”

If the Nuts & Bolts avoid drawing tomorrow, they will travel to Folkestone Invicta in the first round of the Kent Senior Cup on Monday night.

“Because of the results we’ve had I can’t think that forward at all,” said Cumberbatch, whose taking one game at a time.

“Losing to Corydon (Athletic) was very disappointing and losing to Godalming so badly was a shock so the game against Waltham Forest is of paramount importance. Not so much as it’s the FA Trophy but we have to get back on track in the league.

“I can’t really think about Folkestone at the moment. I’ve said before cup competitions are essential and can be good for a team in our position and with our current form it goes without saying the league is the utmost priority.”

Ashford’s next home game is against Leatherhead on Saturday 14 October.

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