LIONS boss Andy Leader has brought Craig Martin back to the club this week on dual registration forms from Wessex League Totton and Eling and he goes straight into the squad for Saturday’s crucial FA Cup tie with Combined Counties League Chertsey Town.

The versatile Yorkshireman has been in the Southampton based side’s squad during their FA Cup run and although he has been on the bench he has not featured and is therefore eligible to play. With the long running saga of the pitch at the Portway preventing any action there the game is being staged at Whitchurch United’s Longmeadow ground, one that Martin knows well as he had a spell there last year.

Leader is also in discussion with another player with a view to a loan deal and is keen to put behind him the negative aspects of what has been a thoroughly depressing time at the club.

Ironically, Martin’s employers havebeen drafted in to sort the pitch out and with work going on this week there is confidence that it will be available for the FA Trophy Preliminary Round tie with Bideford on October 2.

The one chink of light so far has been the FA Cup win at Sittingbourne which brought £1,500 into the coffers and tomorrow brings another opportunity to add to that sum, although the Surrey side have a strong line up and the Lions will need to watch right sided midfielder Tom O’Regan who has notched two hat-tricks already this campaign.

Leader admits that it feels to him the season has not started yet and has been “a bit of a nightmare” but emphasises the need to stick together. He added “We are working hard and it would be great to get a win against a club I played for many years ago. “It is a strange feeling not playing any games at home as, despite always having valued support at the away games it is not like playing at your own gaff.” The manager has reacted to the string of defeats by releasing several players including Michael Owen, who has signed for Glen Butterfield’s Ludgershall Sports in the Wiltshire League, and Ben Chambers. Jason Minton and Dean Smith have also left the club as he seeks to find a blend good enough to climb off the foot of the Southern League Division One S and W league table.

The Lions and their intrepid band of supporters are due to make the unenviable trek to the Forest of Dean on Tuesday to take on Cinderford Town in what will be their fifth consecutive league game but that is dependant on two factors. The Foresters are home to Ringwood Town in the FA Cup themselves and should that, or the Lions game be drawn, then it would be postponed.

Any replay for Andover is scheduled for Tuesday night at Alwyns Lane and directions are: Leave M25 J11 sign posted Chertsey.

• On leaving the motorway take A317 (St. Peter’s Way) sign posted Weybridge.

• At the next roundabout take 1st exit sign posted Chertsey.

• Stay in the left hand lane and turn left at the traffic lights into Eastworth Road.

• At the mini roundabout turn right into Free Prae Road, this will bear left into Pound Road.

• At the junction at the end of the road turn left into London Street.

• Straight on at the next mini roundabout.

• Go past Ye Olde Swan Pub and turn left just after that into Alwyn’s Lane.

“Leave M25 J11 sign posted Chertsey.

Take A317 (St Peter’s Way) signposted Weybridge and at the next roundabout take first exit sign posted Chertsey.

Stay in the left hand lane and turn left at the traffic lights into Eastworth Road.

At the mini roundabout turn right into Free Prae Road, this will bear left into Pound Road. At the junction at the end of the road turn left into London Street. Go straight on at the next mini roundabout past Ye Olde Swan Pub and turn left just after that into Alwyn’s Lane.”

As yet there is no information as to coach availability.

l The reserves beat Burridge 1-0 on Saturday in the Hampshire Intermediate Cup, Claudio Herbert scoring the winner.