Urchins back at Bridge Avenue to host Margate

Hornchurch manager Jimmy McFarlane believes his side’s luck must change soon as their search for a first win in the Ryman Premier continues.

Urchins suffered defeats at Wingate & Finchley (1-0) and against Maidstone (2-0) in their first official ‘home’ fixture of the campaign, which took place at Aveley’s Mill Field ground.

But McFarlane is hoping his team will be boosted when they return to their spiritual Bridge Avenue home to welcome big-spending Margate tomorrow (Saturday) at the earlier time of 2pm.

The Hornchurch boss is trying to remain positive and is sure his side will turn around their poor form imminently, saying: “This is my toughest time in football, by a million miles, but we have to keep chugging away because our luck has got to change.

“We must have killed so many cats and had so many curses put on us. We’ve got to lift ourselves up in the changing room, which is not easy, but we’ll see if we can get our first win on Saturday.”

Urchins visit fellow strugglers VCD Athletic on Tuesday, but the impending thoughts have been on the weekend and to strengthening the squad.

McFarlane has been desperately trying to bring new players in, but no new additions had been announced as the Recorder went to press.

The Hornchurch boss would also prefer a first clean sheet of the season, rather than finding the net again and has called on his team to stop conceding sloppy goals.

He added: “I’ve been trying to bring players in all week but it is a funny time to bring people in, everyone is out on loan but we keep going.

“At the moment we grow in confidence as the minutes pass and then concede and it goes again, so we have got to stop conceding sloppy goals.

“I think we need a clean sheet more than a goal because the longer the game goes on and the longer it stays at 0-0, the less you will be snatching at chances.

“Don’t get me wrong, goals win games, but for me at the moment I would take a clean sheet first.

“We need to work on shortening the game up as well because George Purcell is not going to win headers, but it is hard to shorten your game up when you are lacking in confidence and that is the issue at the moment.”