PAUL Holden leads his floundering Fleet Town troops to his old club, Walton & Hersham, tomorrow, admitting: "We're in a relegation battle now, that's for sure."

When the former Crystal Palace youth/reserve team coach took charge in November, he was confident that, with a few new faces to bolster the side, he could turn the north Hampshire club's flagging fortunes around.

But, some four months after the sacking of Holden's predecessor, Mick Catlin, Fleet are dicing with death fourth to bottom of Ryman 1 having lost 11 of their last 13 league games.

"It's a much bigger job than I thought and the trouble with me is I get impatient and expect things to happen straight away," admitted Holden.

"I've been analysing things deeply - probably a bit too deeply - and I still believe in the players, but it's allowing time for it to develop."

With Holden still searching for the winning formula, four of the players he inherited from Catlin have been shipped out.

Midfielder Gary Connolly has been released and will be linking up with his old Bashley boss Barry Blankley at Salisbury City, while both Ed Smith and Richard Mealey have gone on loan to another of Holden's old clubs, Camberley Town.

Fleet have also terminated the contract of former Fareham and Havant striker Lee Paul who hasn't been seen at Calthorpe Park since injuring his ankle in the Bryco Cup against Yeading on January 3.

Holden, a big fan of Paul's, admitted: "It's disappointing because I've been trying to find my best frontline pairing and Lee Paul and Josh Francis were developing nicely together.

"Lee was welcome to stay at the club non-contract, but he hasn't been in touch and we've done the release forms now."

Holden will be up against a familiar foe tomorrow. Swans' player-manager Alan Dowson played left-back for him when he had a spell in charge Stompond Lane in 2000/1.