WITHAM Town assistant manager Brad King is hoping to put a run of four tough away matches behind them when they host fellow strugglers VCD Athletic this Saturday.
Town lost 3-1 to Met Police on Tuesday night, their fourth straight defeat on the road in the Ryman Premier after matches at Leiston (sixth), Dulwich Hamlet (third) and Bognor Regis Town (tenth) respectively.
The loss leaves them just a point and a place above the relegation zone but, with games in hand, King is confident his team can return to form at home in a six-pointer against second-from-bottom VCD.
"The four away games we've had are against some top sides and it's been very difficult," said King
"We always knew it was going to be difficult but we're playing well, we're not getting carved open and we've been quite evenly matched.
"We are pleased to return home on Saturday and we'll hope it's on because of the weather, we need to get our home games on.
"It's tough to keep playing away from home but I still believe in the boys, we're creating plenty of chances.
"At Met Police I think we matched them, apart from a five-minute period where we conceded two goals and switched off, but we were the better side in the second half and if we were more clinical with our five chances then it would have been different.
"The performance is there, which is one positive, but obviously they've got to start turning those performances into points now. But the main thing for us is winning our home games and picking up as many points as we can away from home."
Just six points separate 23rd and 14th in the Ryman Premier and King believes that having up to four games in hand on the teams around them can help get Witham out of a sticky situation.
"It's still early days in the season but the difference between us and most teams down there is we're in a better position, with three or four games in hand," King explained.
"I believe if you win your home games against the teams around you it puts you in good stead to finish where the club are hoping to go and that's to stay in the division.
"It is really close. I think if you win three in a row you're right up there. We've got a home game Saturday but then we've got another away game against a tough side in Wingate & Finchley so we've had a tough run of fixtures but we've competed with most of them.
"We just need to turn those performances into points now."