Di Paola keen on high standards ahead of top-of-the-table clash

They face leaders Newhaven in a top of the table Premier Division clash on Saturday and the Hornets boss says his side were never low on confidence despite their recent blip.

Di Paola wants to bolster his squad but feels they have played some great stuff in their last two wins against Worthing United and Peacehaven in the Sussex Senior Cup and is set for another big game this weekend.

He said: “I don’t think we weren’t confident - the Eastbourne Town and Haywards Heath results had extenuating circumstances and against Steyning we just let ourselves down.

“I don’t think we have got any lack of confidence or anything, I think we are ok in that respect.

“We have got to set high standards, when we do not set those high standards we do not look a very good side.

“It’s about the boys being mentally right on the day in every game we play and that is quite hard, if we can do that we look a good side.”

On Saturday he added: “It’s another big game. Newhaven remind me a bit like us all when we were at East Preston; a group of mates in it together, punching above their weight.

“It’s going to be a really tough game, their pitch isn’t the greatest, so it is going to be difficult and we have a couple missing as well.

“Evan (Archibald) is not here, Hunty (Adam Hunt) is not here, but Charlie Farmer and Kev Keehan should come back in.

“We probably need a couple of extra players at the moment, giving the circumstances and what we are in at the moment, we need a couple more.

“You are always looking but it is hard as people are settled where they are, you have to be certain as you waste seven-dayers, so we will see. I am always looking for players if they are good players.”

Recent signing Nathan Crabb is struggling with work commitments, while, as expected, a number of clubs have come in for temporary signing Arron Hopkinson.

Di Paola added: “Nathan with his work is a tricky one, but we are trying to do something with him to get him in and out, but that is hard as well as you kind of want people there all the time.

“You want to work on things, with the level we are at it’s hard as you cannot always get everyone to training. But when you get everyone there, you become a better team.”

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