Jamie Leacock demands more consistency from Thatcham Town squad after home defeat to Ashford

Thatcham Town manager Jamie Leacock has outlined consistency as one of his sides problems this season after they lost 2-0 at home to Ashford Town on Tuesday night.

Aaron McLeish-White fired the visitors ahead after 20 minutes in their Isthmian League South Central clash.

Ashford then made the points safe with 10 minutes of the game remaining when captain Sam Humphreys curled in an effort from distance.

The game came just three days after Thatcham recorded a 4-0 win away at Chalfont St Peter and Leacock

“It was a pressured game for us on Saturday because if you look at the league positions and the points we had, they’re a team in and around us so we knew we needed three points.

“To go there, score four goals and play well under pressure was really great to see.”

However, they missed an opportunity to secure a second successive league win and consistency is something that needs to be improved.

“The win [v Chalfont] should give you a bit of a lift, so can you try and get a win back-to-back and that’s been our problem this year.

“We haven’t won two games back-to-back and it’s a problem in this league because if you don’t do that then you move a lot as it is so tight.

“We have to work out a way of playing well and turning up one week and then doing the same a few days later or whenever we play.

“Our consistency is what has done us so far this season,” he added.

Thatcham had a glorious opportunity to respond when 1-0 down, but Simeon Weekes was denied from the penalty spot – which was their eighth failed spot-kick of the season.

“It is now eight penalties we have missed this season and you’re scratching your head at that.

“We have tried different penalty takers and we have worked on things, but at this level you can’t miss eight penalties because it’s cost us points.

“I do believe that if we scored the penalty we would win the game because we had them on the ropes a little.

“When you come up against physical teams, you need to score when you’re on top and we didn’t.

“In the second-half we didn’t lay a glove on them and they have done a job on us and I haven’t got time to dwell on it.”

This weekend, Thatcham host Sutton Common Rovers who are another team below them in the table.

“We spoke about the Chalfont game because, again, it’s a game against a team lower than us fighting for points, so it’s a big game and we need to be ready for it.”