Chichester City coach: No need to panic over up-and-down start

They lost 3-2 at Brentwood in the FA Trophy on Saturday having been 2-0 up – that after a league start in which they have taken only three points from their first four games.

City are also out of the FA Cup – though they did get through three rounds – and now plan to focus their attention on stringing together results which will lift them up the Isthmian south east table from their present position of 16th.

They begin that attempt with a tough-looking visit to Herne Bay on Saturday, then host Three Bridges in a Sussex derby on Tuesday.

City also have a home tie with Saltdean to look forward in the Sussex Senior Cup.

Potter said: “We were disappointed to lose at Brentwood. We were 2-0 up and could have been 3-0 up.

“But we do feel performances are starting to improve and if anything the defeat at VCD, when we played well despite losing 4-1, was a turning point in that respect.

“We’ve now got two competitions to focus on and the league is the priority. We need to get consistency in performances and results and find the sort of momentum that served us so well as last season progressed.”

The squad is about to be boosted by the return of forward Callum Overton after a long-term knee injury.

He made a scoring return for City’s under-23s last week and will be pressing for a first-team spot soon.

Full-back Ryan Davidson, a key man in last season’s success, is also close to a return.

Potter said: “It’s not an excuse but we haven’t had a settled side and once we have that, it will be a big help.

“We need to find our rhythm again and when we do the players will enjoy it.

“We want to enjoy the season and we won’t put undue pressure on the players – we’ve not been awful.”

The coaching set-up has been boosted in recent weeks by help from former City keeper Ant Ender and young coach Lloyd Coote, who Potter said had been doing great work.