Barkingside manager looks back on defeats and calls on side to improve ahead of this weekend

The manager of the month curse struck Barkingside boss Matt Frew this week, but although frustrated with their results, he is focused on keeping the Cricklefield outfit in Ryman North.

Frew won the award after three wins from four in February, but March has proved a tough month so far as Side have lost all three matches and conceded 13 goals in the process.

That run of form has seen them drop into the bottom three again, but Frew is looking for them to bounce back at Great Wakering Rovers this weekend.

“The curse has struck and it couldn’t have gone any worse,” said Frew.

“Lapses in concentration need to be ironed out. We have Great Wakering on Saturday, which is a huge game at their place.

“But I am looking at it as Barkingside versus Chatham in the battle to stay up.”

Although Romford are directly above Side in the table, the good relationship between the two teams means neither would like to see the other get relegated.

Therefore Frew is looking at Chatham as the team to target – assuming Burnham Ramblers and Cray Wanderers do not pull off the greatest of great escapes.

“I’m not thinking about Romford because I don’t want to see them go,” added Frew.

“I think Burnham and Cray are too far behind now and Chatham are the ones in my sights.

“They have played 38 games and we have only played 34. There are only four points between us and we have still got to play them – it’s a two-horse race.”

If Side are to stay up this season they need to start defending better.

They lost 5-0 to Waltham Abbey at home on Saturday and shipped another five goals in a 5-2 loss at Cheshunt on Tuesday.

Calvin Poku scored both goals in the latest defeat as Barkingside’s miserable March continued.

But ahead of their trip to Wakering and Monday’s clash with Thurrock at Cricklefield, Frew has called on his team to be more solid at the back.

“It is basic mistakes by players and individual errors,” he added.

“There are a few areas we need to tighten up in because teams are not scoring good goals against us.

“I am hoping the boys will turn it around still and I am confident they can.”

Frew believes his team can get over their blip and that opponents might even underestimate them now.

“If we don’t turn up against Thurrock it could be a cricket score,” he added.

“But some teams might come to our ground and think it is going to be a stroll in the park. If my boys can click and perform like I know they can, then we could surprise a few teams.

“It is all about bouncing back and getting a positive result, even if it’s a draw just so we stop this losing run.

“This week is going to be hard and it would be nice to take three points on Saturday and nick a point on Monday, I would take that.”