It could be a case of announcing the crowd changes to the players at New Lodge tomorrow afternoon when Billericay Town host Maidenhead in what threatens to be a typical meaningless end of season affair.

Both teams are mid-table with nothing but pride to play for with Gary Calder's men now having gone ten games without a Ryman Premier win since cash cutbacks led to six senior players leaving the club in the space of a month.

To their credit Calder's makeshift sides have battled well in every game since, but with only a handful of senior men to aid a line-up mainly made up of youngsters there is little chance of getting among the points -- or attracting the fans in big numbers.

Town have just five matches to go now and you could not blame anyone at New Lodge for wanting to see a season which held such high promise at the start come to an end as soon as possible.

Signs are that life could be tough again tomorrow. For Maidenhead, managed by ex-West Ham and England midfielder Alan Devonshire, have lost just three times in 19 games on their travels this term.

Calder, who has attracted huge sympathy in the game for the way that business decisions have decimated his squad, admitted: "All I can ask is that the players I'm left with go out and give it everything they've got for the remaining games.

"They certainly did that at Canvey in midweek when we lost 3-0 and if they continue showing the spirit there won't be any complaints from me, regardless of the scorelines."

Published Friday, April 11, 2003

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