Hollands & Blair manager Darren Blackburn hopes to get the chance to rebuild next season in the Southern Counties East Premier Division

Hollands & Blair manager Darren Blackburn hopes to get the green light to build for next season after achieving their objectives this term.

Blackburn took over in November from Clint Gooding, after his short spell following Luke Jessup’s exit, with the main target to avoid relegation from the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

Blair had been hoping to challenge at the top end but when Blackburn was appointed the focus was very different.

He said: “When I came in there were certain goals we looked at. Kennington and Snodland were a few points in front of us and it looked at the time like it was a three-horse race [at the bottom] with us, Lydd and Lordswood.

“We had to drag some others into it and we managed to do that by getting results against teams around us and a couple of teams around the play-offs.

“It’s frustrating that we didn’t do enough against mid-table sides, there were a few we lost narrowly, including a couple against Sutton and Erith and Belvedere.

“We could have finished higher, but ultimately it was to finish top of the group of five or six that we dragged back in and on the final game of the season we were 3-1 up [against Fisher] and probably would have finished in that position but we conceded a couple of sloppy goals.

“We are where we are but, ultimately, the main goal was to finish at all costs, no matter what, third from bottom, so job done and we can look forward to next season.”

Blackburn admitted it’s not been easy after finding himself with a young squad to start with. He had to make quick decisions when he took over.

He said: “Everyone knows the squad Blair started the season with, and the quality on paper it had, but for whatever reason the results didn’t go their way and hence the change.