Lowestoft Town chief Craig Fleming wants more points on the board

Lowestoft Town director of football Craig Fleming admitted the Blues are playing fixture catch-up once again this season – the exact situation the management team were determined to avoid at the start of the season.

The Blues slipped to seventh in the league following defeat at Carshalton last weekend and find themselves in an all too familiar situation to their last two seasons in the Ryman League Premier.

Other teams' involvement in the FA Trophy saw two of the Trawlerboys' fixtures postponed before Saturday, allowing their promotion rivals to gain the initiative at the top.

Lowestoft would get themselves right back in the championship mix if they win their two games in hand but Fleming admitted he would much rather have the points on the board.

'We looked at it at the start of the season and we decided we didn't want to be playing catch-up,' he said. 'In the last couple of seasons it has perhaps been a mistake to get so behind in the league whilst other teams have been racking up points.

'We knew this season that our main focus would be on the league but it's worked out that other teams have advanced in the cup competitions and we're still lagging behind as a result.

'If we win our games in hand then we're right back in it but we've been here before – that seems to be a recurring theme for us.

'That's not the situation that we want to be in – we would much rather have the points. But that's the situation we find ourselves in and we've got to deal with it – and we will.'

Lowestoft's squad has been beset by injuries in recent weeks but Fleming insisted the Blues still should have had enough to beat Carshalton last weekend.

Fleming's men paid the price for missing a hatful of chances before being undone by two late goals and the former Norwich City defender rued his side's profligacy in front of goal.

'It was just one of those days for us – it was an awful result,' he said. 'We didn't play anywhere near as well as we can although we still managed to create a lot of chances.

'We know that if you don't take your chances then it will come back to bite you – we missed some pretty gilt-edged chances.'

Lowestoft travel to Hendon tomorrow with striker Jack Defty still suspended after his sending off against Braintree in the FA Cup. Adam Smith and Dan Gleeson remain sidelined while Dale Cockrill is still struggling with a knee injury.