Jonathan Redhead Lowestoft Town joint boss Micky Chapman has warned his side to be on their guard as they try to bring home the league title. Town need just three wins from their seven remaining games to be crowned Ryman League Division One North champions, with five of those matches at Crown Meadow, starting today against struggling Redbridge.

Jonathan Redhead

Lowestoft Town joint boss Micky Chapman has warned his side to be on their guard as they try to bring home the league title.

Town need just three wins from their seven remaining games to be crowned Ryman League Division One North champions, with five of those matches at Crown Meadow, starting today against struggling Redbridge.

The Blues could even clinch the league on Monday at home to Maldon Town, another side from the bottom half of the table, if results involving nearest rivals Concord Rangers go their way.

But although the champions-elect have lost only four league games out of 35 this season, three of those reverses came at home against sides in the lower reaches.

And Chapman has told his players not to take their opponents lightly.

“We're getting closer as each game goes by but there's still a long way to go,” he said. “We've now got a run of four home games on the trot starting against Redbridge.

“We've pointed out to the lads that three of our defeats this season have come at home against sides in the bottom half of the table.

“We're certainly not going to be taking anything for granted. Redbridge are down there at the bottom fighting for survival but had a fantastic result last Saturday against East Thurrock so we won't be taking them lightly.

“On Monday we've got Maldon and the following week we've got Cheshunt and they're three sides in the bottom half but we've come unstuck against sides like that this year so we've got to make sure we're right.

“There certainly won't be any complacency. We know what's at stake, we know how important every point is now and every game we play is another one chalked off.”

After playing seven of their last nine games away from home, Chapman is delighted to get the chance to play in front of a big crowd at the Meadow again and wants to repay them for their support.

“They've been first class and we can't praise the supporters enough,” he said. “We can say thank you publicly and keep producing results and performances but ultimately the biggest thank you we can give them is to achieve what we want to achieve.

“We've got to make sure for every game we get the result we want. The fans can play their part as well. We've just finished a long run of away games and we've done well.

“We've done a lot of travelling and seen some important points picked up and now the fans, who have been awesome, have got an opportunity to see us at home and we've got a fantastic opportunity.

“We know the mathematics of the position we're in, but the reality is we've got seven games left and we want to win every single one.

“It's no different now than it was at the start of the season. At the start of the season you go into it to win every single game and it's exactly what we're trying to do now.”

The Blues do have concerns over a quartet of players for their Easter games. Andrew Fisk, Matt Nolan and Adam Smith should recover from slight knocks, while centre back Greg Crane is still fighting illness.