'We deserve to be where we are' says Burgess Hill Town joint boss after late win

Ben Pope and Chris Whelpdale completed the dramatic comeback after Sam Smith’s 70th-minute opener for the visitors at the Medical Travel Compared Stadium.

The win was the Hillians’ fourth in a row and lifted them to sixth in the Isthmian Premier Division – now just five points off the play-off places.

Lovett said: “The league table doesn’t lie. We deserve to be where we are. Some games we feel that we could have got points out of that we didn’t, and there’s some games that like today that go to the last minute that we’re happy to get the three points from.

“So, at the end of the season, the table will tell us exactly where we deserve to be. It’s exciting to be in and around where we are at the moment.

“[It’s] a bit cheesy saying but we will take one game at a time and keep plugging forward. But the one thing it does do for us is keep our season exciting.”

In just their first season back in the Isthmian Premier Division, Lovett and co-manager Gary Mansell have guided their side into promotion contention.

“If we do manage to get ourselves in there, then what an amazing season,” he said. “If we don’t, it’s still an amazing season.

“We’re all happy. We’ve very pleased. We’ve learned loads this season already from being in this league. I think we stamped our brand of football on the league as well this year and done it in good fashion really.”

The dramatic conclusion to Saturday’s game was certainly not the first time the Hillians have left it late this season.

Lovett said: “Massive credit to the boys because, as we’ve seen on a number of occasions this season so far, we’re not down until the final whistle is blown.

“[We] get 91st and 99th-minute goals to win the game and I feel we deserved the win. That was really pleasing to see from the boys so massive credit to them.”

The Hill travel to ninth-placed Ramsgate next Saturday.