Lovett’s warning as Burgess Hill Town secure back-to-back home wins

That’s what Burgess Hill Town joint manager Jay Lovett is promising after another great week for the team at Leylands Park – in which a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Ashford was followed by a 5-0 beating of Lancing to take them to fifth spot in the Isthmian south east table.

In the Ashford game, both sides were reduced to ten men late in the first half as Bobby Price and Preston Kedwell were ordered off after a flashpoint that caused a melee.

All three goals came in the second half as Ashford took the lead on 53 minutes before two goals in quick succession from the home side, Joe Overy firing in the winner after an own goal made it 1-1.

Lovett said after that game: “We didn’t put too heavy expectations on ourselves at the beginning of the season, what we did focus on was making sure we have the right team for us and the right character and togetherness in the team.

"We’ve blended our team well and that’s spilled onto the pitch so it doesn’t surprise us that we’re doing okay but we’re also not getting carried away. We’ll just keep plugging away and make the group that we have better.”

“It’s something we’re trying to instill into the group, we keep going, we keep working hard which is a non-negotiable for us. We went 1-0 down and scored our goals late but we still had plenty of opportunities earlier on.

"At some points we got in the right area but couldn’t get the right detail of delivery. What was good was that we went 1-0 down and it energized us even more, unlike some teams from the past. We worked hard until the end and got two goals in quick succession of each other.”

On Tuesday night goals by Chris Whelpdale (2), Price, Stefan Vukojie and Brannon O'Neil secured a 5-0 win over then-managerless Lancing, leaving Lovett and fellow joint boss Gary Mansell delighted.

Burgess Hill travel to Margate, who are also in the play-off positions, this Saturday. The West Sussex side came out 2-1 victors when the sides met last month.

Lovett added: “It’s a huge game for us. We know they are a very good side and we had a very good game against them at home recently and we know they have a lot of quality in their side and that can hurt anyone – so we really have to be switched on because one lapse in concentration can be a spiraling point in the game.”