Ashford Town manager Steve Lovell has described this season as the hardest he has ever known.

Town only escaped relegation from Ryman South by virtue of a 2-1 home win over Chatham on Saturday's final day.

Lovell, a former Wales international, told BBC Radio Kent: "It's the toughest year I've known.

"The last three to four weeks have been a nightmare and I never want to go through that experience again. The players deserve all the credit."

Ashford's great escape was made even more remarkable by the fact that they went three months without a home game because of pitch problems at their Homelands ground.

The players gave their all and thoroughly deserve to survive Steve Lovell

They then had to play 21 fixtures in 12 weeks because of the postponements.

Lovell's son Mark scored Saturday's first goal and created the winner for Tom Murphy.

"The players gave their all and thoroughly deserve to survive," Lovell added.

"What I would like to do now is make five or six new signings in time for next season."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version