Alan Devonshire: 'We're going to need more points than normal for survival'

Maidenhead United picked up a valuable and well-deserved three points at Altrincham on Saturday, but Alan Devonshire's side will need to ensure they keep churning out the points if they're to keep their noses out of relegation trouble this season.

In any normal season, Maidenhead's total of 42 points with 10 games to play would be enough to see them safely nestled in mid-table or perhaps even higher, certainly with no threat of relegation lingering over them.

However, this season has been far from normal and the bottom half of the National League is so congested that the Magpies will likely have to push well past the 50-point mark Devonshire usually says is the tally needed for survival.

With the addition of striker Tristan Abrahams from Welling United, the Magpies played with an extra spring in their step at the J.Davidson Stadium on Saturday as they came from behind to beat their hosts 3-1.

They weathered the blow of conceding early and fought back to claim victory in relatively comfortable fashion thanks to goals from Kevin Lokko - his second in as many games - Reece Smith and the excellent Remy Clerima, who was named man-of-the-match.

The result ended a run of four consecutive league defeats and briefly lifted the side four points clear of the drop zone, however, Tuesday's results - which again saw teams below them pick up points, means the gap to the bottom four is now just three points.

“I feel like we've been playing quite well but just didn't get the results we deserved at Halifax and Boreham Wood,” said Devonshire.

“But listen, we had a good win and we've just got to build on that now.

“He done well, it's his first game and he came straight into the team. Shawn (McCoulsky) and Tobi (Sho-Silva) are injured at the moment so it left us a bit light with Chanka (Zimba) so it was something that we needed.

“Remy has had a few little niggles this year. He's a big player for us and he was out for a while at the start or middle of the season. We can't afford to have players out. We've got four or five out at the minute. It didn't hurt us on Saturday, but we've got to make sure everyone stays fit because we've got a small squad. When you have important players, it's going to hurt you.”

After wading in with his fair share of goals at the start of the season, they've dried up a little of late for Smith, so Devonshire was also pleased to see him clinically sweep home United's second just before half-time.

“Listen, he's a young lad so the consistency is always something he's got to work on,” said Devonshire. “So, he's a human being, you can't be sharp all the time, so you've got to learn other ways of being effective. He's learning that and I'm pleased that he managed to get back on the scoresheet.”

The bottom half of the table this season is also something to behold. From Dorking Wanderers in 23rd place to Southend United in 13th, 11 teams are blanketed by just six points and anyone of them could conceivably still be relegated. Only bottom of the table Oxford City, cut adrift and now 11 points from safety, look certain to be going down.

Next up for the Magpies is another away trip to one of those relegation rivals, AFC Fylde in 19th place. Fylde - who the Magpies drew 2-2 with on the opening day of the season back in August - are outside of the bottom four on goal difference alone and just three points behind the Magpies in 16th place. This game can therefore accurately be described as a 'six-pointer' and Devonshire will be hoping his side can build on their promising showing at Altrincham and put together a much-needed run of form.

“At the end of the day, it's a tough old league, that's being shown week in and week out,” added Devonshire.

“There are so many clubs involved in the relegation scrap and play-offs. It's mad this year with the points separating so many sides. We're going to need a lot more points than normal.

“There's lots of teams still fighting. Kidderminster won last night, and Woking won last night. It's important for all teams to get on a run and pick up results. I do feel that apart from Chesterfield who are above everyone else most other teams are much of a muchness. So, we'll just have to see.”

He added: “Fylde will be tough, they're in very good form apart from last week when they got beat 4-0 (by Boreham Wood). They have a new manager so it's going to be tough, they're scoring a lot of goals at home, so we'll need to be resilient.”