Tooting & Mitcham refusing to give up on play-off dream
Tooting & Mitcham United will not give up chasing a play-off spot in their final six games of the season – even if their best chance appears to have gone, says boss Ashley Bosah.
The Terrors have picked the wrong moment to suffer a dip in results and a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Cheshunt on Saturday made it only one win in five in the Isthmian League South Central Division.
They now have to make up a miniumum of six points on the group above the dotted line – though that is effectively seven because of an inferior goal difference.
“It’s not in our hands any more, and we know the teams above us have to lose games for us to have a chance, but we’ll keep trying,” said United’s joint-manager Bosah.
“We’ve not done ourselves any favours by losing on Saturday and it’s not in our control because we haven’t beaten the teams above us, as we needed to.
“To be fair, we’ve been up against difficult opposition in the past few games and although we had spells of control and maybe deserved a draw against Cheshunt, we didn’t do well enough over 90 minutes.
“They took their chances, while we didn’t and we have to improve and make more of those half-chances.”
If there was a positive from the latest loss, it was that Danny Bassett fired in his 15th goal of the campaign for the Terrors and continues to offer hope of success in the Surrey Cup, even if the play-offs do eventually elude his team.
United travel to Banstead Athletic on Tuesday night for the semi-final in that competition, after tomorrow’s visit to 14th-placed Uxbridge.
“It’s definitely something we want to win,” Bosah said. “It would be a first trophy for our management team, it builds up confidence in the team and it would be great for the fans as well.
We’ll be going all out to try and win it.
“Danny has made a great contribution this season.
“He has had interest from other clubs but has chosen to stay with us – partly because the teams enquiring were too far away. He enjoys it with us and naturally, 100 per cent we hope to have him here again next season.”
Tooting have Daryl Coleman and Peter Wedgeworth suspended for this weekend’s fixture.
By contrast, their numbers have been boosted by the arrival of 17-year-old USA keeper Ethan Wady.
The youngster, whose family have relocated to the UK, is on the books at Chelsea.
PICTURE BY KEITH GILLARD
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