Hollands & Blair’s new signing Charlie Sheringham wasn’t available for their visit to Lordswood on Monday - and he could have made the difference.

Blair manager Luke Jessup feels his side are letting teams off the hook with their finishing.

A 3-0 win over AFC Varndenians on Saturday should have been more and a 2-1 Bank Holiday reverse at Lords further frustrated the boss.

Jessup said: “We didn’t take all of our chances against Varndenians and I think we let them off the hook a bit. It flattered them that it was only 3-0.”

Taylor Fisher and Dean Grant (2) got their goals and Sheringham was unlucky not to register but Jessup feels everyone has to step up.

He added: “The Lordswood game wasn’t really a game of football, neither team played any football, goals were scrappy, it was fairly route one and not a lot of quality.

“There were inconsistencies from the officials and the players and we (the management) even got it wrong with the formation.

“We had some information about how Lordswood might set up and we sent the lads out trying to counteract that. I apologised to the lads because we got it wrong.

“We went in at 1-1 and we changed it at half-time and then we were a lot more assured and the lads felt that.

“We frustrated Lordswood, visibly so, you could hear them moaning and groaning as we stopped their midfield from playing and had plenty of opportunities, but just couldn’t put the ball in the net again, which is a common occurrence.

“We didn’t have Charlie Sheringham available and I think he would have made a massive difference in that type of game and we have a few others we are trying to get in.

“Maybe it is time to give some others a chance.”

Rob Gilman cancelled out Lordswood’s opener but the home side won thanks to Mobolaji Dawodu’s 81st-minute effort.

Jessup will hope his men can find their scoring boots against Whitstable Town this Saturday in the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

He said: “Between the players they should be filling their boots. It is not just on Harvey [Welford] or Deano or Charlie. We can’t just rely on those players to score our goals. We are a team first and I said to the lads we have to learn as a group.

“There are others in and around the team getting very good chances and we are not taking them and letting teams off the hook.

“There are players going under the radar because everyone is focusing on our marquee players but we have midfielders and wingers getting into good positions.

“It is down to everyone that when they get their chance they take it. I am not talking half-chances, I am talking about very good ones.

“Monday was no different. In the last few minutes of the game we had excellent chances. For whatever reason we are not shooting. It is bizarre, I don’t understand.

“We are getting into great positions in and around the 18-yard box, inside the box, but for whatever reason we don’t pull the trigger or work the keeper and that’s frustrating.

“I hope that this weekend that we have learned as a group and we put teams to the sword.

“I am hoping that against Whitstable we are going to be a little more ruthless in front of goal.

“We should be putting teams away and we’re not.”

Keeper Dan Ellis was stretchered off on Monday with a leg injury and went to hospital. His injury has yet to be fully assessed but he’s almost certain to be missing this weekend.

He was replaced in goal by Jack Reeves.

“I doubt it will be a quick recovery,” said Jessup, who was awaiting further news on the injury at the time of speaking.

Football Medway Sport Non League Luke Cawdell