Ashford United boss Tommy Warrilow was a relieved man last weekend when an 86th minute goal gave United a vital three points in their fight for BOSTIK South East Play Off points.
With his side still having to play every single one of their Play Off rivals and run away leaders Cray Wanderers in the finale of the season, Warrilow was in reflective mood when KSN caught up with him this week.
He told us, “It was probably the worst that we’ve played since we came to the club. At the same time to come away with three points not playing well is a good sign going forward.”
“It was the same incidentally in the games that we’d lost previously where we should have got something out of the game without playing well. We lose two games and people start panicking that we’re not playing well, and I knew that if we repeat those performances, we’d get more points than not.”
“But if we repeat Saturday’s performance, then there’s no point tip toeing around things, we’re going to make things really difficult for ourselves – it was a massive three points in the terms that all the other sides around us won as well and it will keep us progressing into another three wins which will take us into another very important difficult month coming up.”
“We can’t do anything about the way that Cray have played this year – they’ve done well and are still strengthening their side and doing all the right things. They’ve got the ground all passed and so everything is positive for the club and I know them well and am really pleased that for everyone at the club.”
“But for me it gives us something to chase and to be honest, I don’t think we could have done much more than we have done. The gap was there when we arrived and to try and catch them, you’re only going to go one way, but I think that they’re done and dusted now so we just have to make sure that we get our place in the Play Offs.”
Looking ahead, Warrilow admitted, “We can put a “marker” down with Horsham this week, but if we do, we’ve got to make sure that we keep putting one down every game we play between now and the end of the season.”
“We’ve got Horsham Saturday and then still have Cray, Hastings and Haywards Heath before the end of the season and that’s the top four teams, and with Hythe and VCD floating about we’ve got a really tough finish.”
“We’ve got to get our heads down and keep going – it only takes a couple of losses to get everyone panicking; I’ve seen it before; I’ve been involved in it before and all I know is that – and I know it’s an old cliché – we just don’t have to get too high with the highs or too low with the lows!”
“We have it in our own hands to get to where we want to, and it’s up to us to throw it away but at least we’re in control of our own destiny!”
And finally, the all-important team news, the manager said,” Jay May should be back after missing last week but apart from that we’ll take a full squad to Horsham and as I say, it’s in our own hands…”