Lowestoft Town manager Jamie Godbold has urged his team to “strive for more consistency” in the New Year as they approach a busy spell.

Preparing for what would be their first match at Crown Meadow in exactly a month, and their first match in 23 days after recent call-offs, The Trawlerboys are due to face two derbies in their next two games.

With their last home league game a 2-2 draw with St Ives on November 27, The Blues were last in action on December 4 – a 2-1 win at Stratford Town that saw them collect their first Pitching In Southern League Premier Central away win of the campaign.

Godbold’s men now face seven games in 33 days between December 27 and January 29.

This run of games starts with two festive crackers – as Suffolk rivals Leiston visit Crown Meadow on Monday, December 27 before The Trawlerboys visit Needham Market in another all-Suffolk clash on January 1 (Saturday, 1pm).

With recent results elsewhere having seen Lowestoft slip to 19th place in the table, Godbold said: “Being without a couple of games the teams behind us have picked up results and pushed us back into the drop zone.

“That is the frustration with not playing, as in our last game we picked up a really good win at Stratford and three points away from home.

“Unfortunately, with not playing, we’ve not been able to back that up with the call off and that’s particularly frustrating.

“We know our next two matches over the festive period are Suffolk derbies against Leiston and Needham Market.

"For the match on the 27th it will be down to who is better prepared, who has looked after themselves over the two previous days.

“I felt it was a good game when we played Leiston at their place earlier in the season, we were in complete control up until the sending off and the game then swung in their favour.

“Leiston are up there and have had some good results, but we will be fully focused and doing absolutely everything in our power to win.

“Obviously we find ourselves in a position in the league now where we don’t want to be and will have to scrap and fight for every point.

“There has been a lack of consistency, but performances have improved and our home form is still really good, while we’ve picked up our first away win of the season in the last game.

“We’re hoping that come the turn of the year – starting with Leiston – we can strive for more consistency.

"No doubt it’s been a frustrating first half of the season for everybody, but we look to 2022 full of optimism.

“Hopefully The Trawlerboys stick with us and continue to support us as their support is crucial to our performances, as our home form has shown.”