Doswell: Top five is still the target for Sutton (From Your Local Guardian)

Doswell: Top five is still the target for Sutton

1:00pm Wednesday 4th January 2012 in Sutton United By Stuart Amos

Sutton United boss Paul Doswell has insisted he still has his eye on a top five Blue Square South finish this season.

The Gander Green Lane chief issued a New Years Day state of the union address at the weekend following the release of defenders Alan Bray and Chris Piper, and loan exits of Fola Orilonishe, Bradley Woods-Garness anmd Kyle Vassell.

Doswell, whose side saw their clash with Boreham Wood abandoned after 28 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch, had hinted Blue Square Premier football was the target for the end of next season rather than this.

United, who captured the services of 20-year-old Tooting & Mitcham centre back Osa Obamwonyi before Christmas, are expected to unveil sweeping changes to the club's playing structure by the end of the month.

But Doswell, who is bidding to mastermind a return to the top flight of non-League football without breaking the bank, is adamant those changes will not come at the expense of a play-off tilt this term.

"We're aiming to try and get into the Conference but we have to be able to compete when we get there," he said.

"We can not afford to do what the Chelmsfords and Wokings of this world have done and thrown a bit of money at it.

"We won't be able compete on weekly basis in terms of our budget, but I feel with the organisation and quality of coaching and management team we can improve the quality of player we have here.

"Even with the change of emphasis I believe with the likes of Simon Downer, Leroy Griffiths, Neil Jenkins, Kevin Scriven and Sam Page - to name a few - we have enough experience to get us to that level.

"We have probably exceeded expectations but we are good enough to stay in the top five, it is a case of preparing for what we do when we get there."

Woods-Garness has signed dual registration terms with Canvey Island, Orilonishe has switched Ryman Premier League Kingstonian on a month long loan and Vassell has made the temporary move to Ryman Division One South Whitehawk.

And Doswell has assured the trio the moves are for their own good and has particular high hopes for Vassell.

"We only ever loan players out in this way to the benefit of the players and Sutton," he added.

"With Leroy [Griffiths] and Tony Taggart happy to play down the left hand side and the emergence of Joel Ledgister as a second striker, means game time was going to be limited for the likes of Bradley and Fola.

"We have high hopes for Kyle coming back from Whitehawk - where he has already done well - after four or five games and giving Craig Watkins and Joel a fight for their place."

Sutton claimed only six points in December, but Doswell remain philosophical.

"If you had offered me fifth place at this stage of the season I'd have snapped your hand off," he said.

"We played well over Christmas, but probably not go the points we deserved.

"But you could also say at other times this season we haven't played well and got the points, so we'll take what we've got and move on."