Kitching urges Stafford Rangers to find consistency ahead of Sporting Khalsa clash
Neil Kitching has issued a call for greater consistency from his Stafford Rangers, urging them to "tighten up" defensively.
After going unbeaten in five Northern One West matches and keeping five clean sheets in seven games, the Rangers suffered a defensive horror show last weekend, conceding four goals to basement side Trafford.
Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to early strugglers Sporting Khalsa, who are winless in their past five league matches, boss Kitching urged Stafford to sharpen up at the back.
“We are very inconsistent,” he said. “We keep challenging the players to find a level of consistency. I think we are getting somewhere.
“It is just about homing in on that and making sure that players are aware that if we are going to challenge in the top half of the table, then we need more consistency from individuals all over the pitch. If we get that then we will be a bit more collectively.
“We have been in good form in the last month. The pleasing thing was the clean sheets and looking really hard to break down, but that went the other way against Trafford.
“We have just got to tighten up. It’s just little individual errors and those moments where we have to be better.
“We have to be careful that we don’t overreact because there was some good stuff.
“But, we have to make sure that the players are aware that four or five weeks of good form is nowhere near good enough, it has got to be over a longer period of time.”
Like the Rangers, Khalsa also shipped four goals last weekend. However, home form has been key for them so far, with three of their four league wins coming on their own turf.
Asked what his message to the players will be, Kitching added: “Same as last week, we have got to be aware that anybody can beat anybody.
“I don’t think we were complacent against Trafford. But, you can’t concede four goals at home.
“We need to tighten up and get back to what we have been doing in the past month or so, and go with the right state of mind. If we make sure we are right, then hopefully we can get a result.”
Elsewhere, 20th-placed Darlaston Town visit ninth-placed Chasetown. Both sides have just one win in their last six league matches.
After securing a point against Nantwich Town, Darlaston boss Dean Gill said: "I know there’s a lot more to come from this group. Every day, we are improving somewhere, in mindset, in quality, in togetherness."
Meanwhile, in the Northern One Midlands, sixth-placed Lichfield City entertain Long Eaton United. Lichfield will look to return to winning ways after suffering defeat at Basford United last weekend.
