Ashford United assistant manager Tommy Osborne on the challenge of finding consistency after midweek defeat at Broadbridge Heath

Ashford assistant manager Tommy Osborne believes consistency is one of the hardest things to achieve in football.

It’s been an issue for the Nuts & Bolts for much of the season, with a real mixed bag of results in Isthmian South East.

They recently ended a run of four defeats by taking seven points from their next three games, including a 3-2 home win over high-flying Three Bridges on Saturday

Ian Draycott scored a last-minute winner, adding to goals from Danny Parish and Vance Bola as Ashford led 1-0 before falling 2-1 behind.

But they stumbled again in midweek, losing 1-0 at Broadbridge Heath, to remain eighth in the table.

“For us this season it’s the consistency that’s let us down a little bit,” said Osborne.

“All the teams that do well find a way to be consistent for nine-and-a-half months of the year and that’s just where we’re falling short at the minute.

“It’s a difficult one. There’s been a few times this season where you think we’re making strides forward and we’re going to get a bit of momentum.

“I think we had a spell where we lost one in eight, or something, and then we lost four on the bounce.

“Our recent form has been good, a couple of wins and a draw, and again you’re thinking can we now get that momentum to try and put pressure on the teams above us?

“But we go to Broadbridge, who were good on the night, and we lost the game. It’s very difficult to put your finger on.

“It’s not like we’ve got a group of lads whose attitude isn’t right. They’ve always trained well and they’ve always got a good attitude, so just it’s something we have to try and rectify in the second half of the season.

“It’s two steps forward and one back at times.

“Including pre-season, to be consistent for 10 months of the year isn’t