‘I’m sounding like a stuck record’ – Gosport Borough boss Gale’s frustrations mount ahead of Southern League trip to Hanwell

Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Met Police was Boro’s fifth loss in six Premier South games on the road this season.

They have also been beaten at lower division pair Paulton Rovers and Bristol Manor Farm in FA Cup and FA Trophy ties respectively.

Only rock bottom Plymouth Parkway (one point) have picked up fewer Premier South points on their travels this term than Boro. And no club in that division have lost as many away games as Gale’s side.

It was a distinct case of deja vu at the Met Police, where Dan Wooden’s consolation left Boro mid-table - three points off the play-off zone.

‘It was near enough the best we’ve played all season,’ Gale told The News. ‘I couldn’t believe we lost.

‘We made two mistakes and they scored two goals, and we didn’t take our chances - we should have been 5-0 up.

‘It’s getting boring, I’m sounding like a stuck record. Where do you draw the line? What do you do? It’s massively frustrating.

‘When we make mistakes, we get punished. But when other teams make mistakes, we’re not punishing them.’

He added: ‘The away performances have been good, but our away record is woeful.

‘We have got to do better; if we want to be up there challenging we can’t just rely on our home form.

‘I would take a poor performance away and a point or a win, maybe that’s what we have to do - have an ugly performance.

‘We have been playing great football, but losing games.’

Billie Busari and Harry Kavanagh returned to the starting line-up in midweek after missing last weekend’s Trophy loss at Manor Farm through sickness.

Rory Williams was also back, but Brad Tarbuck (hamstring) and Pompey loanee Harry Jewitt-White (groin) were both injured - and Gale does not expect them available for the trip to Hanwell.

A search a new centre half, meanwhile, is ongoing after Eastleigh recalled teenager Brendon Willson last week.

‘I have tried,’ reported Gale. ‘It has to be a senior player, we need senior players.

‘We’ve had to play young players and they’ve had to grow up fast.’

Hanwell have made a good start to their first ever season of step 3 football after winning promotion via the Isthmian League play-offs last term.

They are currently fourth after winning six of their opening 11 matches, but Boro will be just two points adrift of them if they can claim a second away league win of 2022/23.

After this weekend, Boro will have played two more away league games than they have Privett Park fixtures.