Ebbsfleet defender Tyler Cordner doesn’t blame people who have written their season off already – but insists there’s still plenty to play for.

The Fleet are 13 points from safety at the halfway stage of the National League season after winning just one of their first 23 league games under three different managers.

But centre-back Cordner, who is on a season-long loan from York, hasn’t thrown in the towel.

“I’d say it’s been a long season but it’s not, it’s gone very quick,” reflected Cordner. “It’s been difficult but we can only look forward and try to change it.

“A lot of people have probably written us off already and, to be honest, I don’t blame them at all.

“But there’s a group of us and a manager who has come in, we believe in him and we believe in the group and hopefully, if we get everyone back fit, we’ll get a few results.

“Pride’s massive in the game, it’s desire, it’s heart, it’s winning. It means everything to you.

“As kids we grew up wanting to play football, you’ve got to give it your all or you end up losing the game.

“At the moment it feels like we’re defending more than we’re attacking, I don’t know whether that’s down to work-rate or a bit of heart, desire and aggression. It’s not been good enough.

“We’ve played two top teams in Gateshead and Barnet last week so when it comes to the games we’ve got to play, the teams down there and around us, then we need to get some results.”

The Fleet travel to a Southend side who themselves are lacking form at the moment on Boxing Day.

Expected to be among the title challengers this term, Southend are just seven points above the drop zone and have won just one of their last seven league games.

“No-one’s giving us a chance against anyone at the moment, and it’s only us in there that can change that,” added Cordner.

“It’s a massive game on Boxing Day, there will be a big crowd there and we’ve got look at it as a great opportunity to change something.

“We’re halfway through the season now. We’ve still got around 70 points to play for so if we can get a few wins, you never know what could happen.

“We will get a lift and the teams around us will know we’ve got a few on the bounce. It’s easy to say because we haven’t done it but if we can give our fans and ourselves something to build on to go into the new year then we’ll see what happens.

“When you’re down there nothing goes for you, and when you’re up there everything goes for you. The lad at Barnet, for example, I cleared the ball out from that cross and it’s an unbelievable strike - he doesn’t do that again.

“That won’t happen to us with our luck at the moment, but we’re the only ones that can change it.”

It’s been a testing time for 26-year-old Cordner since returning to Stonebridge Road. The defender originally featured on loan for Ebbsfleet from Bournemouth in 2019.

The Fleet are on their third manager with Danny Searle and Harry Watling already departed, and popular midfielder Josh Wright now at the helm.

“Football changes so quickly, you might play for one manager and might not play for another,” said Cordner.

“Opinion in football is crazy and you never know what is going to happen round the corner.

“All I know is that the manager who’s in place now, knows the club, knows the players and we know him and all want to play for him.

“We all want to work hard for him and all want him to do well. We’ll give it our all and see if we can turn it around.”

Wright’s first two games in charge have been against Barnet and Gateshead, two teams with title aspirations.

But Cordner doesn’t give any credibility to the theory that playing sides at the top of the table are a free hit for the Fleet.

“We have to beat the teams down there, people say when we play the top teams that it’s a free hit – it’s not,” said Cordner. “We need the points.

“You’ve got to take it personally. They’re looking at it and saying same old Ebbsfleet, they’ve got single-figure points this season so we’ll run all over them. I take that personally, me, as a person and how I’ve grown up.

“I take it personally and I don’t like it. I want to beat every team that we play against but we’ve got to show more power and desire. We need to be more horrible.”