2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Luke Cawdell)
Lordswood manager Scott Porter has outlined his plans to the club’s board with how he thinks the club can bounce back from relegation. Porter took charge at the end of March but was unable to save Lords, who will drop into Southern Counties East Division 1 next season. Relegation was confirmed before they had to visit champions Faversham Town on Monday, where they succumbed to a 6-0 defeat.
They lost 3-0 to Whitstable last Thursday, a result which ended their hopes of survival. Porter’s keen to lead the fightback next season but still has one final game to take care of this term when Lordswood host Stansfeld this Saturday. Porter said: “When you look at the teams we had to play when I took over, there have been some tough games, Fisher and Whitstable going for the play-offs and Faversham going for the league.
“It was against us from day one, since I walked in the door. We did the best we possibly could and just fell short. “The Sutton Athletic game and the Kennington game were big opportunities which we didn’t take.
We should have won those. “We didn’t manage the Kennington game and didn’t put our chances away against Sutton. Reality has now kicked in, it’s done and dusted and we just have to get Saturday out of the way and sit down and put a plan together.
“I’ve spoken to the chairman and put stuff into his corner, he has to go back and chat with the board, as normal. I am sure there will be more conversations and meetings that take place. “It is down to the board, they will have learned a lot from this season and they don’t want to make those mistakes again, and rightly so.
“They’ll go away, let them have their chat, I have told them what I want, what we would do. I have put it into their court and we will see what happens.” Monday’s game at Faversham was tough, not helped by losing eight first-team players including goal-getter Tunde Aderonmu - who played for Beckenham - ahead of the match for various reasons, leaving him to patch the squad up with under-23 players.
Faversham had clinched the title last Tuesday at Tunbridge Wells and they were in the mood for a party with a crowd of more than 1,000. “Monday was tough,” said Porter. “We had to go to the champions, with the side they have and the day they had.
“It wasn’t a great place to be in that dugout, you just wanted the game to finish and get out of there, disappear and let them enjoy their day. “We had to drag some under-23s in and it was men against boys, no two ways about it. That’s why they are where they are, Tommy [Warrilow] and everyone we congratulate and we let them have their day.
“The bigger thing for Lordswood is to look forward, not looking back and dwelling on things.” Lords host struggling Stansfeld, a side who need a point to guarantee their safety. Lydd Town are favourites for the drop courtesy of a possible four-point deduction that’s hanging over them, but that isn’t likely to be cleared up until the season has been concluded.
Snodland are also in the battle to avoid going down with Lords..
