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Tommy Warrilow has urged Ashford United to start taking their chances after adding two new forwards.
Warrilow has signed former Dover man Roberto Ratti from Guildford along with Ellis Cormack from Epsom & Ewell.
The Nuts & Bolts have been struggling for goals recently and it’s something the manager is keen to address.
Ratti made his debut in the 2-0 FA Trophy second qualifying round defeat at Isthmian South East rivals Hastings last Saturday and looked lively alongside Jay May.
Warrilow has described Cormack as a project and the young targetman has the perfect teacher in May.
“We’re just not pulling the trigger in and around the box,” said Warrilow.
“My teams have always scored goals but we seem to be struggling a little bit at the moment.
“I’ve always been very attack-minded as a manager, and we are getting in good areas, but we’re not making it count and we’re getting punished at the other end.
“I think confidence is a massive part of it.
“Sometimes people aren’t reading situations quick enough or not reacting quick enough for second balls and when we pull the trigger we’ve got to hit the target.
“We’ve got a good team here and I’ve brought in a couple of new ones to mix it up.
“Roberto was very lively on his debut and looked dangerous when he got on the ball.
“Ellis is a young lad, a good size but he’s what I call a project.
“Trying to get 6ft 3in targetmen isn’t easy at the moment, they’re hard to find.
“I spoke to a few people about him and we’re going on what we’ve been told and what I know about the boy.
“He couldn’t have anyone better to learn from than Jay.
“We’ve got strength in depth everywhere else but we only had three strikers, Luke Burdon, Johan Ter Horst and Jay, so I was looking in that area.
"Tashi Jay-Kwayie can play up there but ideally I want him as a No.10.
“It helps us out getting new lads in because Jay’s not going to play every game and if Johan’s having a tough time, we can address that.
“I know we’ll be all right, it’s just frustrating at the moment because we’re not playing badly.”
Kenny Pogue put Hastings in front on the half-hour after Ashford conceded a free-kick.
The Nuts & Bolts had a big penalty shout turned down before conceding a spot-kick at the other end, converted by James Hull, for the decisive second goal.
Warrilow said: “We knew it would be a tough game, a tight event, but we had a big decision go against us.
“We’ve had a stonewall penalty turned down which would have taken us to 1-1 and that might have changed things.
“But then, second half, we go and give them a penalty and we have an even bigger hurdle to climb. Both goals are from our mistakes.
“It’s disappointing because it’s a competition I wanted to stay in but we’ve got to concentrate on the league now, which was always the main priority.
“Little things make all the difference and that’s what I keep telling the boys, everything you do matters.
“If it’s a mistake, don’t make it again; if you’re banging in goals, carry on banging them in.
“I’m hoping one day someone will get a good hiding because we are putting the ball in some great areas.
“Even Saturday, we started well and I felt the first goal was against the run of play.”
Ashford, fifth in Isthmian South East, visit Sevenoaks this Saturday.
Oaks have lost their last three league games, including 5-0 defeats by Sevenoaks and VCD.
But Warrilow warned: “There’s never a good time to play to someone and if they’ve taken a couple of hidings, I’m not one for using all the sayings, but they’ll want to restore some pride.
"You can see how 5-0s and 4-0s happen in this league because of the amount of chances teams create.”
