Top six spot still on for Christchurch
on 06/04/09 by Andy Starmore
Christchurch have had a tremendous season and are looking to finish in a lofty top six spot, possibly even higher.

Their latest triumph, a narrow 1-0 success over basement club Hamble, although it really could have been a lot more than just the one goal in it, keeps Priory on course for a position they fully deserve.

Following their latest triumph manager Graham Kemp told Pitchside, “We should have been out of sight by half time. We weren’t and it was always going to be the case that they would come back into the game.

“They were fighting for their lives and they were coming down the slope in the second half and we were probably playing at 80 percent to the way we can play.

“It’s difficult to pick yourself up and as the game wore on we got a bit frustrated and they got a bit more belief.

“In the end they didn’t really threaten to equalise. They had the lions share of possession but having said that we still had three or four more opportunities to extend our lead and when it gets to the last quarter of an hour it makes it a bit nervous.

“If we’d have scored again I think we’d have probably gone on to get three or four but it didn’t quite happen for us today.

“I’ve watched Hamble twice this year and they’re not a bad side. They gave Poole a good game. Poole won 3-0 in the end but it was 0-0 for 65 to 70 minutes.”

Kemp added, “They’re fighting for every point and I’ve said to the boys every team we play are either scrapping for points at the bottom or scrapping for points at the top.

“I’ll take this 1-0. It’s three more points on the board and seven out of nine and it keeps us ticking over nicely.”

Christchurch, because of their success in the FA Vase, have played fewer league games than any other club in the Wessex Premier League and have still got to cram in nine games before the curtain falls down on another campaign.

Many clubs, players, management, coaching staff and all the people in the background who work tirelessly throughout any season will be looking forward to the summer break, but Kemp insists this season is still very much alive and he is determined as ever to finish on a high.

He added, “Other managers now will be talking about planning for next season with four or five games left but we’ve got nine games left and a lot of points still to play for.

“I want them to concentrate on this year but I’ve also got to have one eye on next season.

“Hopefully I’ll re-sign the majority and move on. I said to them last year I wasn’t happy finishing 15th, this year I won’t be happy to finish eight or seventh or sixth or wherever we finish.

“I want to move up and as a manager you want that. For now we need to stay focused and not look forward to next season before this one has finished.

“I know where I want to finish and I want to finish fifth and I’m sure the players want to finish fifth.

“We’ve got some tough games to play and I’d like to finish above Wimborne because I don’t think that’s ever happened before.

“A lot of teams are beginning to wind down but I’ve still got to keep the players upbeat and I’ve got to try and find interesting things to do in training and find interesting warm ups to get the players focused.

“That’s the toughest part really to try and relay to the players how much we’ve got left to play for.”

Christchurch’s next outing is tomorrow night (Tuesday 7 April) which will be hardly a walk in the park.

They’ll be taking on a VT FC outfit that will be out to gain maximum points before their Easter Saturday showdown with Poole Town at Tatnam.

Anything other than a win for VT would leave Poole needing victory over Dave Diaper’s side at the weekend to secure the Wessex Premier League title.