Chips' aiming for Croydon honour (From Sutton Guardian)

Chips' aiming for Croydon honour

1:44pm Monday 10th March 2008

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Chipstead manager Nick English wants his side to finish as the top Croydon-based team in Ryman Division One South after they drew 1-1 with Dulwich Hamlet.

The point leaves them in 12th place ahead of Croydon Athletic and level on points with Whyteleafe, but with the play-offs seemingly out of reach and relegation no longer an issue, English wants his team to enjoy their football and finish as high as they can.

He said: "We are just going to enjoy ourselves now. We have got ourselves stable and we have got targets, like finishing the highest Croydon-based club and we are going to see what happens."

English also blamed the club's poor start to the season, where they lost their first six games, as the reason why they are only in mid-table.

He said: "It's just a shame about our start. If we played those games now we would have got ten or 11 points from them and that would have put us in the play-offs."

Fred Fleming put the Chips' ahead two minutes before half time but English was critical of the way his team conceded an equaliser when Charlie Taylor ran through to score in the second half.

He said: "I was really pleased with the way we played. We changed back to 4-4-2 which we haven't played all season but the players all wanted to play that way and they did extremely well.

"In the last four weeks we have worked really hard for goals but for some reason the side generally gives away stupid goals. It was our attacking situation that we messed up and we do that a lot because we are naive and it has probably cost us points this season. We have got to adapt to that and grow up mentally in this league."

English did give a special mention to referee Luis Pinto Nunes, praising the way he kept both sides calm.

He said: "We have had him twice this season and he's just excellent. He is the best referee I have had and I just wish the FA could come down and watch a referee like that because he deserves to be in a higher league."

Chipstead's next game is away to Croydon Athletic on Saturday.

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