MEDWAY MESSENGER REPORT - Thursday 19th December 2019
Darren Anslow sees big potential at Lordswood but knows it will be tough to keep the team together.
Anslow's young side are on a good run of form, winning five of their past seven games in all competitions.
They've also kept three clean sheets in a row after beating Tunbridge Wells 2-0 in Southern Counties East last weekend.
Boss Anslow said: "I'd love to keep these boys together for two or three seasons - we'd be a very good side - but it won't happen because some of them will move on and rightly so.
"We've got to help them progress at the same time as trying to get results."
"Looking at my boys, there's two or three very capable of playing at a very high level. I'm not saying Football League necessarily, but with another 60, 70, 80 games under their belt at this level and the one above, they definitely have the ability to go a lot higher.
"It's the mental attitude that's got to be right, to deal with knocks that are invariably going to happen, whether that's an injury or a manager not fancying you."
Anslow, whose team visit Deal this Saturday, has encouraged his youngsters to follow the example of the club's senior players.
Rob Gillman, Marlon Patterson and Luke Medley have all enjoyed good careers at higher levels, representing the likes of Luton, Dagenham and Bradford.
And Anslow said: "Those lads have all played professional football and they're here at the end of their careers.
"They could take it easy but they're the first ones in at training and they also train the hardest.
"Rob Gillman was injured on Saturday stretching to block a shot. You hope these lads are seeing a 34 or 35 year old putting his body on the line and the penny will drop.
"That's how you've got to conduct yourselves if you want to move on in the game."
Lordswood have drawn Kennington away in the Challenge Cup third round. The tie is due to be played on Wednesday 8th January.