We look forward to each week and count our blessings we are playing at this level, however, inconsistency has cost us this year and we need to fix this, vows Phoenix Sports boss Paul Bryon

PHOENIX SPORTS manager Paul Bryon says he is searching for consistency ahead of their home game against promotion chasing Haywards Heath Town on Saturday.

 

The club slipped down to tenth-place in the Bostik South East Division table after being thrashed 5-1 by Hythe Town at Reachfields Stadium last Saturday.

Bryon’s men have banked 32 points from their 24 games and are now 10 points adrift of the play-offs, which are currently occupied by Ashford United, Hastings United, Horsham and Saturday’s opponents.

Tony Russell has guided Cray Wanderers to a massive 16 point lead at the top of the table and the race is on to see which side will join them in the Bostik Premier Division next season.

“Last Saturday is a game to learn from,” said Bryon.

“We were in the game in the first half and to be honest thought we well worth going in at half-time level.

“Two set pieces, second phase cost us, not reacting quickly and bad decision making cost us.

“The second goal came in in the third minute of injury time in the first half, not sure where that came from, but even so we got to defend it better.

“For five minutes of the second half we looked okay but then defensively fell apart and we got what we deserved.

“I can’t say any more that we got exactly what we deserved!”

Phoenix Sports travel to second-placed Ashford United on Saturday 23 February, before hosting champions-elect Cray Wanderers seven days later.

Bryon revealed: “We are short at the moment.  We had four out Zak Bryon, Danny Young, Lee Bird and Tony Robinson all out with suspension and injury and we all know we don't have a big squad, so it was going to be difficult.

“We are again at the beginning of a difficult run of games with Haywards Heath this Saturday then Ashford then Cray so we are going to have to better than Saturday to get anything from these games.

“They are all good sides and we always know we need to be at our best to compete but we also know we can compete.  We drew with Cray away and Haywards Heath and missed a pen in the last minute at home to Ashford, which would have got us a draw.

“We need to be more consistent if we are going to have any say in this league going forward this season and next and that's something we are trying to instil in the players.

“We look forward to each week and count our blessings we are playing at this level, however inconsistency has cost us this year and we need to fix this.”

Visit Phoenix Sports website:  www.phoenixsportsclub.co.uk

Phoenix Sports  v  Haywards Heath Town
Bostik South East Division
Saturday 16 February 2019
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT