Soham Town Rangers ‘desperate to put things right’ says Robbie Nightingale after drab draw with lowly Barkingside
Ross Paterson and George Darling battle for possession against Barkingside. Pictures: Tim Edwards - Credit: Archant
Soham Town Rangers joint boss Robbie Nightingale says his men are “desperate to put things right” following a disappointing 1-1 draw with relegation-bound Barkingside.
Action from Soham Town Rangers' 1-1 draw with Barkingside. - Credit: Archant
Like many other games across the country, the Greens’ clash with the bottom-of-the-league side was plagued by high winds and a poor playing surface, which Nightingale believes was a key factor in Soham’s failure to take all three points.
“I’m very disappointed if I’m honest,” he said. “They were probably the worst conditions I’ve come across – it was windy, there was hardly any grass on the pitch and it was all bobbly so it was a day to forget.”
Poor conditions, paired with a late arrival to Barkingside’s Oakside Stadium, was detrimental to Soham’s performance, says the Greens boss.
He said: “We got to the ground quite late and you could see from the start that the lads weren’t quite at it.”
Ryan Sharman attempts to close the ball down for Soham Town Rangers. - Credit: Archant
Salim Relizani notched his third goal in four games to give the visitors the lead, but a Barkingside counter-attack, finished off by Michael Spencer, ensured that Soham would return to Julius Martin Lane with only a point.
The 1-1 draw means that the Greens are now two games without defeat, but Nightingale says his side are determined to show what they’re truly capable of in their meeting with struggling Redbridge on Saturday (3pm).
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“There were a lot of disappointed lads in the dressing room after the game on Saturday,” he said. “I think that was a good thing because they realised where they went wrong.
“I know the lads are desperate to put things right and I’m sure you’ll see a more enthusiastic and energetic performance this weekend.”
Rangers look set to finish the season in a mid-table position following an inconsistent campaign, but Nightingale believes that with the right signings in the summer, his men can challenge at the top of the Ryman Division One North.
He said: “We’ve got a really good group of individuals that we know can take the club forward looking into next season.
“If we can bring a few new players in the summer then we won’t be too far away.”
