STOTFOLD | BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL

We talk to manager, Eddie McLoughlin, on the season so far for his side

There’s quite a battle in prospect at Stotfold on Saturday as they play host to a Welwyn Garden City outfit who arrive level on points and amongst a cluster of teams all battling to break into the top five.

Five straight victories amidst a run of just one defeat from their last eight Pitching In Southern League Division One Central fixtures leave Stotfold in good heart as they take on opponents who have won their last three in a row as part of a six-game unbeaten run.

“We’re in a really positive place at the moment,” manager, Eddie McLoughlin, told us. “The lads have shown great character and resilience to put together a strong run of results, including several tightly-contested games where our defensive organisation and mentality have made the difference.

“What pleases me most is the progression we’re seeing week by week. We’re becoming more controlled in possession, more disciplined without the ball and more mature in how we manage games.

“The group have worked incredibly hard and that is now being reflected in our performances and results. Confidence is building — but we remain focused and grounded.

“The start of the season has been encouraging. We had moments early on where we looked exciting going forward but were far too open defensively. The 5–4 defeat away at Ware in August is a great example — entertaining for the neutral but incredibly frustrating for us as a team.

“Since then, we’ve tightened up significantly. The structure and discipline have improved, players understand their roles clearly, and our mentality in big moments has become much stronger.

“We have had to add to the group when the opportunity has presented itself and what we are now seeing is a team learning how to win, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to grind out results when necessary. There’s still plenty of room to grow, but the foundations we’ve built are strong.”

We asked McLoughlin whether Division One Central was as he expected it to be going into the campaign.

“It’s been exactly what we anticipated — extremely competitive,” he responded. “There are no easy fixtures, and every team poses a different challenge. Whether you’re playing one of the fancied sides or a team battling at the other end of the table, you have to be at your best to take points.

“We’ve learned quickly that small details can decide games and we know that Saturday’s game against Welwyn Garden City is likely to be decided on fine margins.

“Set pieces, transitions, concentration in key moments is what’s needed at this level. The standard of organisation across the division is pretty high, and physically you have to match teams before you can impose your own style.

“We’re enjoying the journey and embracing every challenge that comes our way.

“Our aims and targets have shifted since the start of the season and now we want to be right in the mix for the play-offs come the end of the season. To do that, we need to continue showing consistency, and importantly, take points off the teams around us in that top end of the table.

“But it’s also about development — building a winning culture, raising standards every week, and continuing to grow as a collective. If we keep improving at the rate we have so far, we give ourselves every chance of achieving something special.”

IMAGE: Stotfold FC

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