Badshot Lea 3, Guildford City 2

FOCUSED Badshot Lea boss Gavin Smith has got a cautious eye on next season as he prepares his side for a big push in the final ten weeks of a topsy-turvy season.

A strong start to the season, underpinned by an exciting adventure in the FA Cup, was followed by a horrible spell toward the end of last year in which Lea had a worrying turnover of playing personnel and a slump in form.

But Smith and co-manager Dave Ford have worked hard, recruited hard and steadied the ship, and the result is a talented squad that promise a bright future.

Lea have picked up a healthy number of wins since those dark days at the end of 2019 and now lie 12th in the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League, losing just once in their last six games as the top half of the table beckons again.

The latest of those wins came on Saturday at Westfield Lane against Guildford City as the Baggies overcame the handicap of being a goal down inside the first 60 seconds courtesy of debutant goalkeeper Steve Hamgovi Kameni’s high ball blooper – a feat he worryingly reproduced early in the second half in the absence of regular shotstopper Kallum Lunn, who has been a consistently high performer between the sticks for Lea this season.

Fortunately for Kameni, who joined the Baggies from Windsor, two goals from striker Brett Denham and a third from the impressive Ousmane Lalustani spared his blushes as Lea moved to within one point of ninth spot and a country mile away from the two relegation places which were slowly starting to loom up in the rear-view mirror not so many weeks ago.

“We had a tough time, lost about seven in a row. It was hard and we were scratching around for players, so for me that wasn’t a true reflection of our squad,” said Smith.

“I’ve been looking at the period since just after Christmas when we’ve managed to get everyone together, since we’ve had the new players in and started with what I felt was a better squad of players. So if we can be up and about it based on those results from that period then we know we are on the right track.”

The management team at Westfield Lane have had to all but start again in the past six or seven weeks in light of all the departures and subsequent new faces, but already this relatively youthful squad is beginning to gel and make ground – which augurs well for a strong finish and a run at honours next season.

“The important thing for us with a new group is to make them happy with what’s going on, so obviously winning games and doing well will lead to them wanting to stay and be part of something next year,” said Smith, “so we can’t afford to let the rest of the season just float on by, we have to push on and do as well as we can.”

But a strong finish wouldn’t just be beneficial in the league where, weather permitting, the challenge of a trip to face second-placed Spelthorne awaits on Saturday – as Lea are very much alive and well on two cup fronts.

The Baggies host Isthmian South East side Whyteleafe in the second round of the Surrey Senior Cup at Westfield Lane next Tuesday, with the winners facing a trip to Chipstead in the next round.

And more Isthmian League opposition awaits in the quarter-finals of the Aldershot Senior Cup where Lea have a home tie against Westfield – conquerors of Farnham Town in the last round – for a place in the last four.

Reflecting on Saturday’s league win over Guildford City, Smith said: “I never felt they were threatening us at all, especially in the first half. We’ve gifted them their first goal. It’s always difficult for a new keeper coming into a new team, but he hasn’t dealt with the cross properly.

“In the second half, he made an unbelievable save, a world-class save, but then from the resulting corner he has turned it into his own net. I felt for him because he did some good things and made some really good saves, but it’s always highlighted as a keeper.”