Director of football Molesley confident ‘biggest gains’ at Gosport Borough will be from working with his own players rather than new signings

Director of football Mark Molesley insists the ‘biggest gains’ can come from working with the squad he has inherited.

The former Weymouth, Southend and Aldershot manager has so far kept faith with players already at Privett Park when he arrived in early December.

He has been rewarded with seven points from four points - a huge improvement bearing in mind Gosport had picked up just one point from their previous 10 league fixtures!

Molesley admits Boro remain in a ‘sticky position’ - just two points above the four-team relegation zone with some of the clubs below them having games in hand. Most notably Plymouth Parkway, just four points behind Boro in second bottom spot but with six matches in hand.

Another of the seven clubs beneath Boro are Yate Town, who arrive at Privett Park this weekend two points behind Gosport having played a game more.

Apart from Andreas Robinson, Molesley said all his squad have a chance of being involved.

They include striker Brett Williams, who missed the New Year’s Day draw with Winchester after picking up an early injury in the Boxing Day loss at Hartley Wintney.

Williams would almost certainly have missed last weekend’s trip to Parkway, which was postponed due to a waterlogged Bolitho Park pitch.

The downside to that is Boro must now make one of their longest trips of the season on a midweek date.

The upside was that Molesley was able to organise an extra training session, and the more of those he has the better.

Asked about the chance of new signings, he told The News: ‘I’m happy with the squad I inherited.

‘We do need to take the club forward, but the most important work we can do at the moment is with our own players. That is where you will see the biggest gains.

‘It’s always a tricky market during the season and I’m in no rush.

‘We’re in a competitive area - Totton down the road are making some big signings, Havant & Waterlooville up the road are flying high. Then we’ve got other teams in our league on the south coast.

‘We have to make sure we bring the right people in for the right reasons, but we will add to the squad if we can.’

Despite their lowly league position, Gosport boast the second highest average attendance in the Premier South. Only leaders Weston-super-Mare (771) can better than 698 average.

Molesley’s two home games so far, against Tiverton and Winchester, have attracted crowds of 626 and 864 respectively.

Molesley said: ‘We need to repay the fans, we need to entertain them.’

Those who watched Gosport’s visit to Yate in November were certainly entertained, with the hosts claiming a 5-4 success in south Gloucestershire.

Kyle Tooze, who started pre-season last summer with AFC Portchester, netted twice in that win, and also scored the only goal at Met Police the week after.

But Yate have lost their last two away league games, 3-0 at Hayes & Yeading and 2-0 at Dorchester Town.