Manager Danny Kedwell is confident Ashford United will soon start climbing the Isthmian South East table.

Kedwell’s injury-hit side lost 3-2 at home to title favourites Ramsgate on Tuesday night.

It was a third successive league defeat, having gone down to 3-0 at home to leaders Beckenham last midweek and 2-1 at high-flying Burgess Hill on Saturday.

Injuries to the likes of top scorer Gary Lockyer, who’s set to miss the next two weeks, haven’t helped, with Joey Taylor, Tolu Jonah and Marley St Louis also still out, although Mikey Berry returned against Ramsgate.

Ashford 17th going into their game at second-bottom Lancing on Saturday (3pm).

That’s followed by a home match against Littlehampton on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Goals from Joe Taylor, Billy Munday and TJ Jadama put Ramsgate in charge at Homelands.

Louis Collins replied in the 88th minute and Mack Reilly scored the hosts’ second deep into added time.

Ramsgate then had goalkeeper Henry Newcombe sent off, with defender Joe Ellul taking the gloves, but there wasn’t time to test him.

“Again, we’ve played really well with a patched-up side,” said Kedwell.

“We’ve got a lot of injuries. Since the Lewes game, we’ve been playing a lot of youngsters.

“It’s been a bit frustrating but it’s good to give these boys opportunities as well.

“When you’ve got five players out injured, who are starters, it’s very tough.

“But we’ve just gone toe-to-toe with teams with much bigger budgets than ours in games they’re expected to win.

“Are we expected to win? No, but we’ve gone toe-to-toe with them with a patched-up squad.

“I said to the boys you’ve got to believe in yourselves because when we’re on it we’re a very good side.

“The boys are giving everything, we just haven’t had that bit of luck.

“To be fair, I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is.

“Every team goes through a little dip and it’s probably ours now where we’re going through injuries and suspensions all at once and we’re trying to fight through these games to get us out the other end.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting together and we’ll eventually come out the other end because we have got a very good squad when everyone’s fit.

“It isn’t like one here and one there, it’s a month where I haven’t been able to put my full squad out.

“But that’s what happens, we’re here to build, whatever happens this year, and we’ve got a very young squad.

“It’s all about building and believing and little things that don’t work this year, make sure we put them right.

“It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a brand-new team and I’m building.

“You can come in, put a brand-new team together and it happens straight away but that’s very rare unless you’ve got the best budget in the league.

“Even then, it doesn’t always work. Look at Ramsgate. They’ve been trying to get out of this league for three or four years.

“We’ve got to build and when it comes right, we’ll be very good.

“We’ve got to step up to it and become men. We can’t keep whingeing, we’ve just got to get on with it and fight.

“It will turn and everyone else in the league knows it’s going to turn. I’ve got belief in them.”

Kedwell is certain Ramsgate will finally win the league this year.

Ashford have lost twice to Ben Smith’s side, having gone down 4-0 at Southwood, but Kedwell takes heart from both performances.

“Let’s get it right, they’re going to win the league,” he said.

“If they don’t, someone needs shooting.

“Sittingbourne will be up there but I still think Ramsgate have got too much experience and stuff.

“I said to the boys on Tuesday, Ramsgate are going to win the league and you’ve shown you can compete against them.

“I thought we were brilliant at their place, despite the scoreline, and I thought we were brilliant in the first half on Tuesday.

“They’ve scored a couple of pelters but we fought to the end and that’s all you can ask from the boys.

“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. I’m sure we’ll come out the other end.”