We’ve worked very hard in training this week to try and put Saturday’s loss at Stansfeld behind us, says Lydd Town boss Liam Smith

LYDD TOWN boss Liam Smith admitted his side played like a Sunday League team during their 5-2 defeat at Stansfeld last weekend.

The Lydders are in seventh-place in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table with 32 points in the bag from their 23 league outings but Smith couldn’t accept the manner in which his side defended in Chislehurst.

He said: “We’ve worked very hard in training this week to try and put Saturday’s loss at Stansfeld behind us.

“It was a really disappointing loss and we most certainly let ourselves down with the lack of quality in our passing. Individual errors you see on a Sunday League level were apparent but that's the highs and lows of football I suppose but I demand better!

“Even though we lost last week there were some plus points to take from the game and hopefully we can build on those come Saturday.”

Lydd Town have home advantage over Sporting Club Thamesmead in the League tomorrow.

Lee Hill’s side lost 3-1 away to Premier Division side Cray Valley (Paper Mills) in the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup on Wednesday and travel south sitting in tenth-place in the table with 30 points from their 19 league games.

“Safe to say, it’s never a dull occasion when we meet,” said Smith.

“Last season we drew 3-3 at home in a game we lead twice and nearly threw away near the end, a real end-to-end game, which made great viewing for the neutral.

“This is a really important game for us as there are a handful of sides including Thamesmead who have games in hand over us.

“It’s really important we put as much distance as we can between us and the other sides just below us, which in turn will allow us to sustain our decent league position.”

Acre striker Josh Patrick has scored 27 goals in all competitions this season and Smith has highlighted him as a threat in tomorrow’s first meeting between the two sides.

Smith said: “Everyone knows about Thamesmead’s fire power, with the lively Josh Patrick in their ranks. They are not just a one-man team and they have dangerous players who turn defence into attack very quickly.

“I do see some weaknesses and I will devise a game plan accordingly in the hope that my lads carry it out. If we do, we will get what we deserve from this game.”

Smith was quick to praise the club’s volunteers who work tirelessly and keep the club ticking along.

He said: “Thank you to everyone that comes down this weekend in the cold and to the people that came to watch us away last week it's really appreciated.

“One last thing I want to mention and to communicate to everyone is that myself, the management team and my players are all incredibly grateful to the volunteers at this football club who work tirelessly to give us a lovely playing surface and good facilities.

“In my eyes we have one of the best grounds in the league and it makes me really proud to be the manager.”

Sporting Club Thamesmead, meanwhile, can now look forward to playing six games away from home on the bounce.

“A nice local derby for us,” quipped Hill.

“It’s always nice and windy when we go down there but it’s a good pitch down there, good facilities really.

“We have to push on in the league really and get a few more points on the table.

“We’ve been hit and miss all season. We go on a little run and then we lose a couple and then we go on another little run but we need a bit more consistency.

“It’s a long tip, we’ve got a few long tips, hopefully we come back with the three points.

“The thing is we’ve done quite well in the Cups this season so every cup draw we’ve been away so it’s unfortunate the fixtures have been like that.”

Visit Lydd Town’s website:  www.lyddtownfc.co.uk

Lydd Town  v  Sporting Club Thamesmead
Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Saturday 13 January 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Lindsey Field, Dengemarsh Road, Lydd, Kent TN29 9JH