After beating Punjab at home I think there is incentive for the players to go and be the first side to try and do the double over them this season, says Erith & Belvedere boss Luke Coleman

ERITH & BELVEDERE manager Luke Coleman says he wants his side to complete  the double over title-chasing Punjab United tomorrow.

Punjab are sitting at the top of the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table with 58 points from 24 games.  They are a point clear of K Sports and six clear of third-placed Fisher in a three-horse race for two promotion places.

Erith & Belvedere suffered relegation from the Premier Division with Fisher last season, finishing at the foot of the table and go into their trip to Elite Venue in eighth-place with 38 points from 22 games.

“Obviously, I am expecting a tough match given where they are in the league and the fact that they have not lost at home all season,” said Coleman.

“However, after beating them at home I think there is incentive for the players to go and be the first side to try and do the double over them this season. They have been consistent this year and credit to them they seem to have also recruited well. 

“In regards to our aspirations for the remainder of the season I want us to finish as high as we can and what will be will be.

“We have certainly tuned a corner in terms of our consistency and performance levels. We have only lost one game since the end of November and been on a good run.

“Clearly, tomorrow will test how far we have come but beating both K Sports and Punjab recently tells us that we have the capabilities to compete but our consistency across the season has left us behind the top two.

“I am a strong believer in that where you are in the table at the end of the season is a true reflection. 

“We have a number of games in hand currently on some sides and these games will give us a chance to catapult above a lot of other sides. However, I would have preferred the points at this stage.

“I am not sure why we have so many games in hand but it is a period the players should look forward to. We are still in the semi final of a cup competition and it would be nice to win that as winning things must always be anybody's aim. 

“Our objective has always been to get the club back up but it is futile to try and run before you can walk.

“The Southern Counties East Football League nowadays is strong and if you look at the teams who are not even competing at the top this season they have good infrastructure and healthy budgets. I think for me it is a case of trying to rebuild the club and this may turn out to be a season which we tried and build from.

“Although this is a transitional year with a new squad I am proud of the players that have come in. I know we now have a settled group which is capable of achieving a lot but we hopefully we continue to go from strength to strength and finish the season as strong as we can.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website:  www.erithandbelvedere.co.uk

Pubjab United  v  Erith & Belvedere
Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Saturday 10 February 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Elite Venue, Dunkirk Close, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5ND