We are down to the bare bones, admits Lordswood boss Piggott - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Lordswood manager Paul Piggott admits he’s down to the bare bones as his side are ravaged by injuries and suspensions, writes Stephen McCartney.

After beating out-of-sorts Herne Bay 4-0 to get their Kent League Cup group campaign off to a good start last Saturday, Piggott described their 3-1 defeat at Sevenoaks Town last night as “after the Lords Mayor show.”

Despite taking an 18^th minute lead from Mike Cunningham’s 45-yard lob, which flew over the back peddling Joe Skillman and into the net via the far post, there was not much joy for the Medway side.

Two minutes earlier Skillman escaped with just a yellow card after bringing down striker Mike McKenna, who got up, dusted himself down, but saw his penalty saved.

The win takes resurgent Sevenoaks Town into fourth place in the Kent League table - a position Piggott’s side would have been had his side collected three points.

He said: “We just couldn’t keep the ball - simple as that!

“If you don’t keep the ball at this level an keep giving it away, you get punished.

“We’re disappointed because one, with our performance, which was not good enough at all - across the board.

“I mean it’s still early days as far as league tables are concerned but we’d like to take our league position a little further on with more points in the bag but it weren’t too be.”

Piggott was without the suspended Nick Smith, Lyndon Guscoyt and Gary East with Ray Broad, Bob Chiverton, Steve Sharp and Andy Forster all nursing injuries.

“We’ll unfortunately we’ve got an injury list as long as our arm,” revealed Piggott.

“We’ve got three players out suspended this week from Saturday’s team so we are down to the bare bones.

“We’re struggling at the minute, we’re down to the bare bones, and we’re fighting for our lives at the minute.”

Reserves Adam Overton, Alan Backshall and Allen Thomas were all drafted into the first team squad last night and are expected to be involved again when Beckenham Town visit on Saturday.

“It’s hard for us at the minute but we have to knuckle down and work hard - we’ll get over it,” said the defiant boss.

“There ain’t no one who can say they justify the shirt for Saturday on Tuesday night’s performance but yer, we’re in it together, it’s a long old season, we know that, and Saturday is just another game.

“We’ll prepare for it on Thursday, we’ll go out there and give it our best shot.”

But Piggott pointed out what he demands from his weakened team, adding: “The first thing I want is commitment and desire, which we didn’t have on Tuesday night.”