Waltham Abbey boss Paul Wickenden believes the Abbotts should be around the Isthmian Division One North play-off places and admits their failure to take their chances has cost them.

After seeing their clash with Burnham Ramblers postponed on Saturday, January 3, the Abbotts were frustrated once more as their game at home to Soham Town Rangers on Saturday also fell foul of the weather.

The heavy rain means Abbey have played just once since the turn of the year and have not won since crushing Aveley 4-1 on November 22. That run has left the Abbotts in 12th – 12 points shy of the play-off spots.

Asked to assess his side’s season so far, Wickenden said: “If we had won two of those four draws we would have been where we should be, in and around those play-off places. We are perhaps a little bit below where I would like to have been at this stage. We have really got to stick a run of results together and get back up there.”

And after drawing four of their last five league fixtures, Wickenden is in no doubt as to why his side had been unable to turn draws into victories.

He explained: “We do not take our chances when they come along and that is the difference between one point and three at the moment.

“Against Chatham Town we had lots of chances and did not take them. Against Romford we were 1-0 up and switched off and conceded a penalty, which if I am honest was not a penalty, but it is what it is.

“At home to Thamesmead we worked our socks off go 3-2 up and then conceded again. At Cheshunt we were awful in the first half but we improved massively in the second half to get a point.”

He continued: “We had a team meeting before the Harlow game and everyone was frank and honest. The players were all in agreement that sometimes they go out and feel in control and they then switch off and that is what costs us.

“Even in those games [where we are scoring lots of goals] we won but missed chances. As much as we do score goals, we should be scoring more. That is frustrating from my point of view. We have got to be more ruthless.”

And after a unseasonally quiet festive period, Wickenden admits his players are keen to get back on the pitch. He said: “It is frustrating because you normally have such a busy Christmas but this year we have only played about two games, so the boys are desperate to put the New Year’s Day defeat behind them and get back to winning ways as soon as possible.

“Tuesday and Saturday we will come in and do a lot of fitness work to keep them ticking over and then we will get the balls out and do some ball work to keep it light-hearted.

“You know what it is like, no-one really wants to do the running and when you have been training all week to play on the Saturday, it is so frustrating to not be able to go out there and play; the last thing you want to do is more fitness work.”

Abbey will hope to return to action when they travel to Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday before their re-arranged tie with Burnham on Tuesday, January 20.