All my strikers are going to play at some stage of the season, says Erith Town boss Tony Russell

ERITH TOWN boss Tony Russell says he has plenty of strike options available to him for their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round home tie against Crowborough Athletic on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.



The Dockers’ bounced back from their 3-1 defeat at Deal Town on the opening day of the new Kent Hurlimann Football League season with a deserved 2-1 win over local rivals VCD Athletic two days later.

Liam Burgess, 18, and Michael Phillips, 28, both scored from midfield, as Russell started with former Hollands & Blair striker, Ricky Freeman and Alex Tiesse up front and finished the game with Billy Shinners and Lewis Wood.

Russell said: “It’s definitely given me a headache.  Ricky’s from Hollands & Blair, scored a load of goals last year.  He got recommended to me, he’s come down, it was the polite thing to have a look at him and the boys’ have taken to him.  He’s got so much enthusiasm.  His dying to get his first goal for the club.  I think he will score a lot of goals. 

“We’ve got the four (strikers) and I’ve told them all to be patient.  It’s a long season and they’re all going to play at some stage of the season.”

Phillips and central defender Nick Davis have arrived in the summer from Maidstone United and Thamesmead Town respectively and eyebrows were raised when the pair decided to join the Kent League club.

“It’s good when people like Michael and Nick are coming down and they say they’re enjoying it,” said Russell.

“There aren’t many managers around that don’t scream and shout at players and ask to get on the ball and enjoy the ball, so I like to think we offer them something different.

“To be fair to Michael, he said everyone does it in pre-season.  The season starts, everyone starts hitting channels and shouting.  We don’t do that.  If we’re 1-0 down I don’t shout at them or if we’re 2-0 up it will be good information.

“They get good quality training down here.  The chairman looks after them in a sense, the boys’ have got nice tracksuits, they’ve got nice new kit.

“We’re all going out on Saturday, we all enjoy each other’s company.  We buy into that.  Last year we went bowling.  It’s important we enjoy each other’s company and that is the pull.  I want them to play good football and also make new mates.”

Erith Town were defeated by Blue Square Bet South side Dover Athletic in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round last season and they welcome Sussex County League side Crowborough Athletic to Avenue Road as the FA Cup kick’s off on Saturday.

The east Sussex side have opened their new campaign with two defeats and  have Chichester City and Horsham YMCA below them in the table at this early stage.

Looking forward to the Extra Preliminary Round clash, Russell said: “I know everyone goes you can’t win it (The FA Cup), but it’s a nice thing for the chairman and more importantly for the players.

“It was nice when we played Dover, for 30 minutes we played well. 

“It’s a nice day, you enjoy it.  The chairman loves it as his pockets are filling up.”

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtownfc.co.uk

Erith Town  v  Crowborough Athletic
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 20^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Erith Sports Stadium, Avenue Road, Erith, Kent DA8 3AT