Leafe facing a 'series of cup finals' to avoid drop

Ryman League Division One South

Whyteleafe 1

Godalming Town 2

NICKY English is eyeing "cup finals" against teams he has earmarked that Whyteleafe should be looking to beat as they bid for survival.

"We're in a tougher situation than we were last year, although we've got a similar amount of points," said the Leafe boss, having put on a great run to keep his side in the division last season. "Two wins get us out of it, but points are like gold dust to the teams at the bottom."

If Croydon Athletic's record is expunged, English reckons 36 points will be needed to survive, with Burgess Hill, Whitstable, Walton & Hersham and Sittingbourne set to join Leafe in the dogfight.

"If you look at those teams, you've got to get three points out of six against them," he said.

"We've got to treat those games as cup finals. Normally 42 points would be enough to stay up and with Croydon gone if you take six off that we're going to need about 20 points. We're looking for five or six wins and you can finger point the games – Walton & Hersham, Whitstable, Burgess Hill, probably Faversham and Sittingbourne might get dragged into it.

"Then we have to try to arm wrestle a point off Chipstead and we've got Merstham back at our place," he said, mindful that the Moatsiders are selecting a new manager imminently.

"Crawley Down have vastly improved. When we lost 1-0, there was nothing in the game and I said to their assistant manager they were probably better than Worthing and they then went and beat them. But they couldn't win for 14 games, then they get four or five players in – they've obviously got some money – and they get four or five wins in a row.

"That's how they get out of it. We haven't got the option to do that. With our limited budget I can't get players in to turn things round, so I've got to work with what I've got.

"Some of the players we've got will be good enough for this level but they are learning and doing it in a side that is struggling.

"We've just got to graft and get five or six wins and then a few draws."

The defeat against high-flying Godalming showed Leafe were "not a million miles away", he said. "At 1-0 down we had a nailed on penalty that wasn't given. Two minutes later they made it 2-0.

"We played much better after that and scored, but didn't get that next goal which would have meant a brilliant point."

Play-off chasing Worthing on Saturday is a tough fixture.

"We drew at Worthing on a lovely playing surface. But the whole game has changed now [on worse pitches], the pretty football, you can't play it," he said. "We're having to change the whole structure. I'm rolling my sleeves up. I've never worked so hard.

"We had a lull where we should have got something out of games and we didn't," he reflected after a goalkeeping error – understandable in the "lake" – proved the difference between draw and defeat at Eastbourne.

Three injuries were suffered there, to Scott Simpson, Jerson Dos Santos and John Cartledge, courtesy of the horrendous conditions, while Kennedy Adjei has signed for his old manager Mick Sullivan at Walton Casuals.

The visitors started like they meant to continue with Jon Palmer's volley across the face of goal finding Ben Edwards, but his effort went just over the bar.

Leafe's first chance came in the 21st minute when Ashley Snadden's free-kick was punched out by Jake Somerville.

Visitors Godalming led on 34 minutes, Adam Foulser heading in a long throw that was allowed to bounce in the penalty area.

Godalming started the second half well, Scott Harris forcing a save from Smith after just 20 seconds of the half.

Jay Garrick was brought down on the edge of the box on 53 minutes, but the referee waved play on. Karl Douglin regained possession. His shot was blocked. Two minutes later Godalming scored again, Dan Read tucking in Josh Pearson's ball.

Garrick was brought down on the edge of the box after 63 minutes. Ashley Snadden took the kick, finding Stephane Gnamore whose shot was blocked.

Leafe netted on 80 minutes. A fine cross from Fabian Batchelor found Danny Dudley at the far post to score from close range. Batchelor had a shot saved in the 83rd minute and Fred Fleming headed over in stoppage time.

Whyteleafe: Smith, Reid, Aldous, Fleming, Dudley, Brown (Williams 78), Batchelor, Snadden, Gnamore, Garrick, Douglin (Marks 60). Unused subs: Henry-Brown, Smith, Borrett.