I know it will take time to rebuild, says Crockenhill boss Chris Sundborg

CROCKENHILL manager Chris Sundborg says he has brought in new players to strengthen their defence.

Sundborg took the reins after the club controversially sacked Kevin Dalrymple after only six games into the season for “not playing the chairman’s sons and not players drinking in the clubhouse after games.

He has now been in charge for five games, drawing a couple and losing three and last Saturday they came away from Bayliss Avenue with a 2-2 draw against second-from-bottom side Sporting Club Thamesmead.

“I was pleased with our performance, even though we only got a point,” said Sundborg

“I feel we competed very well and there were some exceptional individual performances, despite missing several key players due to injury.

“Reece Cullen, the chairman’s son, scored both goals and was unplayable at times.  He has received some unfair press recently and it was nice that his feet down the real talking.

“Jerome Humes terrified the opposition with his pace and the back four done very well despite only being together for a week!

“When Uche (Ibemere) and I first joined we saw that we were leaking far too many goals and having lost a few defenders when the old manager left we decided to bring in some to strengthen our backline.

“We were delighted to sign Ray Knight from Farnborough Old Boys Guild, who had trained with Crockenhill in pre-season and we brought in an old wise head in Chris Cooper.  We also managed to bring Tom Marle and Teddy Johnson and the four have been solid in the last two games.”

Sundborg took his side to Rusthall in midweek and the Rustics returned to the top of the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table with a 2-0 win at Jockey Farm.

“We were really up against it for very long spells of the game and the new backline really held their own,” said the Crockenhill boss. 

“They now need support from the rest of the team, who need to learn defending starts from the front!  It is far too far too easy to blame defenders when a team concedes a goal, you need to look at the bigger picture and ask yourself why they’re under so much pressure in the first place!

“I cannot fault the players’ work-rate and effort during the games since I have been in charge though.  They have left nothing on the pitch and have given 110% but at this level that is not enough. We need that bit of quality as well.

“Players’ need to learn the right times to play, when to get rid of the ball, when to take a cheeky yellow card, all the little things that at this level can be the difference between a win and a loss.

“We need to be more organised at set-pieces both attacking and defending and the players’ need to listen to what Uche and I are trying to do with the team in terms of style and formation.

“But we know it is still very early days and we are confident we will get our ways across to the team.

“The main thing we have struggled with is inconsistency in terms of personnel.  We need to get some important players back, who area missing through injury, and start to get this team settled.

“Even this week we have had several players leave and a few had joined the squad. It is like a pre-season happening during the season and it is really tough trying to compete against sides who are settled and have had several months together.

“But I can’t moan. I knew when I took the job that players’ had left and I know it will take time to rebuild but I have confidence in the lads I have now and I know a few more quality additions we can really push up the table.”

Liam Smith brings his Lydd Town side to Wested Meadow sitting in ninth-place in the table on 14 points from 8 games, while they have scored and conceded 15 goals at both ends.

Crockenhill, meanwhile, sit in the bottom four having collected 8 points from their 11 league outings.

“We are expecting a tough game against Lydd tomorrow and we look forward to welcoming them to the Meadow,” added Sundborg, whose club haven’t celebrated victory in eight games.

“We still have four or five players’ missing but are hopeful of having one or two back in the squad for the match.

“We just don’t want to rush them back if they are not fully recovered yet as we know it’s a long, old season so we’ll give them a fitness test early tomorrow and hopefully they can play some part, fingers crossed!”

Crockenhill  v  Lydd Town
Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Saturday 24^th September 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Wested Meadow, Eynsford Road, Crockenhill, Swanley, Kent BR8 8EJ