Dover Athletic defender Kevin Lokko puts points above performances
Published: 06:00, 30 December 2019
Dover defender Kevin Lokko doesn't care how the points come in their play-off push.
Whites made it back-to-back league wins for the first time since September and two clean sheets inside three days with a 1-0 win at Ebbsfleet.
The registered just two shots on target during the 90 minutes but showed enough about them defensively to earn the three points.
"The play-offs was our goal at the start of the season and it's still our goal now halfway through the season," said Lokko. "We'll be disappointed to finish outside the top seven.
"We don't care what anyone says about us outside the club. People might praise us or put us down but we won't listen to that.
"We know what we're capable of and we won't be distracted from our vision and our goals."
It means that some supporters around the country will have different opinions about Andy Hessenthaler's squad - but their focus is only on picking up points and climbing the table.
"Every game is different," added Lokko. "Some teams after we play them will say we're the best side they've played and some teams will say we're the worst.
"You can't look into it too much. People will have their opinions and that's fine, it's all part of football. That's why we all love the game.
"We know the quality we possess and we'll keep our feet on the ground and get ready for the next game.
"It's all about the points. it doesn't matter how we get the wins, just as long as we get them.
"Nobody really looks at performances if you're getting three points week after week. But what's positive for us is that we have the performances as well as the wins.
"Despite what people say, we played some good stuff at Ebbsfleet. The quality was good in terms of getting the ball forward into our front men and they caused a lot of problems.
"I don't think it was that ugly but we don't care, it's all about three points."
Skipper Lokko was particularly pleased for Michael Woods to score the winning goal, his terrific first-time strike was his first goal in Dover colours.
"We've been lacking goals from midfield but that's a big statement from him to get his first goal in that manner," said Lokko.
"It was a great strike and the winning goal so I'm happy for him and he'll take confidence from that - I'm happy for him."
Dover travel to Bromley on New Year's Day just two points outside the play-off places.
It's been a quick turnaround from the home defeat to Boreham Wood when Hessenthaler asked questions about his playing squad as well as the management team.
"We were all questioning ourselves as well, it was a tough period," recalled Lokko. "But it shows that in this league all it takes is one win or one moment to kickstart a winning run.
"We showed that at Chorley in the last minute when I got the equaliser. We used that as belief and confidence to kick on against Bromley which we did and then we've gone to Ebbsfleet and dug out a real scrappy 1-0 win.
"We won't get too excited but it will be good to start the new year with a win.
"Bromley will come out firing as we were convincing winners at our place so they'll want to get their own back on us and get a win in front of their own fans. We can't expect an easy game, it will be a lot more difficult than the first game."
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Matthew Panting