Coasters' boss backs Rowe to find his form again

The hitman whose 50-goal season inspired the Coasters to the National North title has found the net only once in five outings at non-league’s elite level.

And while Challinor admits there has been one game in which he was disappointed in his target man, the manager says that, overall, he has no concerns that the 27-year-old has lost his golden touch.

Challinor told The Gazette: “It’s a strange one with Danny because he is getting into very similar positions to last season.

“Throughout my career I’ve never seen anyone strike the ball as cleanly, but whereas last season they were flying in from 20 yards that isn’t happening now.

“I was critical of him in the Maidenhead game because he was standing 40 yards from goal and their defence was made up when they saw that.

“We just had a chat and I re-emphasised when we want

“I have just told him to keep going and getting into those positions.

“Scoring isn’t the be all and end all, and he has some assists as well as one goal (at Ebbsfleet) so far this season.

“He just needs to keep plugging away and it will turn, I’m sure it will.”

Like today’s hosts, Hartlepool United, the Coasters are yet to record a victory after five matches so far.

However, they have been beaten only once so far in their first season at non-league’s top level and conceded a last-gasp equaliser for the second time last weekend against Dagenham and Redbridge.

Challinor added: “We are being severely punished for lapses this season a we knew we would be.

“Last Saturday we probably had five to seven little things defensively that could be improved on and we were punished for two of them.

“But we can’t just keep on saying that – we have to turn it round and that bit of extra concentration could make all the difference.”