A shortage of firepower is letting Hemel Town down according to boss Bircham

Lee Bircham lamented his Hemel Town side’s lack of a deadly marksman in the penalty area after the narrow 1-0 defeat to Tonbridge Angels on Saturday.

Only one team has scored fewer goals in the National League South this season than Hemel, who have had just ten goals to celebrate in 12 games thus far.

Though they drew a blank at Longmead Stadium on Saturday, Lee Angol won but subsequently missed a penalty not long after the Tudors conceded the goal which turned out to be the only one of the game.

Following the departure of striker Remaye Campbell last month, swapping Hemel for division rivals Dagenham, Bircham’s side have struggled for goals, something which the manager said has been hindering them of late.

“We’ve got to have more desire to come alive in the box,” he said. “We just don’t have a killer in the six yard box. We tried a lot to get the goal, it just wasn’t coming.

“We’ve got to get first contact on a lot of our crosses. We could still be out there now and we wouldn’t score a goal.

“Too many people want to drop off and get on the ball than to dominate in the box. We’ve got centre forwards putting in crosses, and that’s not what we’re asking them to do.

“For all that we did, their keeper didn’t make enough saves. We threw everything at it in the second-half to take something home with us.”

Bunmi Babajide’s goal midway through the first-half was all too easy for the hosts, Bircham said afterwards too. A high ball into the box saw the Tonbridge man burst past his marker to fire in at the far post, ultimately grabbing the points with it.

Though Hemel threw the kitchen sink at the home side in the second-half, the defeat left a bitter taste in the manager’s mouth.

He said: “We’re really disappointed. I felt there was an opportunity there for us today. I like a lot of what we did in the first-half. There were a lot of box entries, there was a lot of possession, lots of little bits, but they’re the important bits in football.

“It’s a difficult day. We were just a bit toothless in the second-half, and that can happen.

“We gave away a terrible goal, and it’s come from nothing. Then we get another great opportunity, but we’ve missed another penalty. It’s hard when we concede first and have to claw it back. We can’t keep turning down gifts.

“It’s tough coming away from home against a tough side who are right up there. You can see why they’re dangerous.

“It’s the first disappointment we’ve had with the team in the league for quite a while. We’ll put it right next week.”