YATE Town’s squad believe the play-offs in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West are achievable but, says goalkeeper Martin Horsell, they need to buck up their ideas if they want to get there.
And that means starting to win at their Lodge Road home ground which has been something of a desert for victories this season.
The Bluebells are ninth in the table but they could have been right up among the leading pack had they won more than a single match out of six at home, with three draws. Their mid-table position is mainly down to good away form.
After two good wins, including one at Bridgwater, Yate flopped at home last Tuesday against Tiverton Town and were way off their best again at Lodge Road last Saturday when going down to Banbury United in the FA Trophy.
Former Bristol Rovers and Torquay United stopper Horsell, who was voted Yate’s Player’s Player of the Year last season, said: “It has been difficult and we are disappointed to lose games of football and be knocked out of two cup competitions.
“We have played some good football and we have just had a bit of bad luck and not taking our chances.
“We think we can do something in the league. The lads believe that the play-offs are in sight but we do need to take every game as it comes and not look too far ahead.”
Yate have had some re-shuffling in the squad this season, and manager Craig Laird thought it would take until around Christmas before the team could gel enough to focus on the play-offs.
Yate are looking to return to a winning habit at Lodge Road when they take on bottom side Bashley on Non-League Saturday – when the part-time game takes centre stage as many Football League clubs take a weekend off for international games.
And Horsell said: “I can understand what he (Laird) is saying in that we are quite a few games into the season and we are starting to gel in terms of each other understanding our personality off the pitch but I don’t think we have clicked in terms of playing football yet.
“I still think there is a lot more to come and I think there is still a bit more time needed for the lads to gel on the pitch.”
Horsell, who works in youth football at Bristol City and the Filton College Football Academy, admits it would be easy for Yate to take Bashley – who have not got a point yet and have taken some big beatings this season – for granted.
However, he said: “That is the biggest mistake in football. If you underestimate anyone, they will take you down to their level.”
Yate hope that fans from Bristol City and Bristol Rovers will take advantage of Non-League Day to come along and have a look at the Bluebells. As such, they have reduced entry to the game against Bashley. Adults pay £5, concessions are £3.50 and children under 11 get free entry.