It’s exciting, we’re not at a club that’s a midtable side, we’re at a club that’s expecting to win and we’re expecting to win the league and we’re expecting to go to Sheppey and beat them, says Beckenham Town assistant manager Billy Walton

BECKENHAM TOWN assistant manager Billy Walton insists his side are not feeling under pressure as an exciting six-horse title race reaches the business end of the season.

Beckenham Town were dumped out of the Kent Senior Trophy by losing their Semi-Final 3-1 at Corinthian on Tuesday night with both camps insisting the result had no bearing on the title race.

Corinthian shall play Sheppey United in the Final in Maidstone on Sunday 19 April.

Sheppey United slipped up in the title race after being held to a 1-1 draw at Hollands & Blair on Wednesday night and Sheppey United play Beckenham Town in the league at Holm Park tomorrow.

Beckenham Town have 48 points; Corinthian are second on 46, Chatham Town are third with 43 points, followed by Sheppey United on 42, Hollands & Blair on 41, having played a couple more games and Tunbridge Wells can’t be ruled out on 40 points from their 20 league outings.

“I don’t feel no pressure, none whatsoever,” said Walton after his side’s defeat at Gay Dawn Farm, where his side just didn’t fancy a wet night in the Kent countryside.

“I’ve said to you a million times, if you feel playing football is pressure, you don’t live in the real world. It’s enjoyment, it’s what you do to enjoy yourself and we’ll go to Sheppey and enjoy the ride.

“I enjoy the big games and go to places like Sheppey, that’s why I’m in football for.  I don’t want to go to rubbish grounds and rubbish teams and I want to play in big games in big crowds and test ourselves against the best sides and go out there and enjoy it and there’s no better place to go really, stadium wise.

“Sheppey and Chatham have got the best stadiums in the league and got the best support.  I relish it and I’d love to be playing in the game myself. I would love to be going there on Saturday and play but unfortunately my knees have gone and at 58 I don’t think they’ll give me a chance.”

Ernie Batten’s side changed their tactics to a more direct style on Hollands & Blair’s pitch on Wednesday night but at Holm Park tomorrow both Sheppey and Beckenham will play carpet football on a bowling green of a playing surface.

“It will be another hard game. We’ll go there and we’ll definitely play a lot more football than what we did at Corinthian because it’s a nice pitch and hopefully the weather will change, against a good footballing side,” said Walton, who has the players available that can handle such a big game environment and go on to win promotion into the Isthmian League for the very first time.

“It’s exciting, we’re not at a club that’s a midtable side, we’re at a club that’s expecting to win and we’re expecting to win the league and we’re expecting to go to Sheppey and beat them.

“We’ve got 14 games left to play, we’ve got 14 difficult games, no football team is going to come to you and say ‘you can beat us’, you have to go there and work hard and try to get results and there is a little bit more spice on Saturday because it’s one of the top sides – but we’re a top side.”

Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.com

Sheppey United  v  Beckenham Town
Sea Pioneer Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 22 February 2020
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Holm Park, Queenborough Road, Halfway, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3DB