It’s been a very long time since the club have been close to winning anything so we’ll enjoy the day and give everything to cause the upset, says Canterbury City boss Ben Smith

CANTERBURY CITY boss Ben Smith says his side go into tomorrow’s Kent Reliance Senior Trophy Semi-Final as the underdogs against Sheppey United.

Canterbury are in tenth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with 35 points from 23 games, while Ernie Batten’s side arrive at The Charles Sports Ground two places and three points worse off.

Reflecting on their 1-1 draw at AFC Croydon Athletic last weekend, Smith said: “We were disappointed with the game at AFC Croydon Athletic. We started well going 1-0 up early on and then bang! Within a short space of time we feel that the referee has completely changed the game!

“The conditions were poor, so much so that the ref had discussed the need for common sense in the game and then we got a ridiculously harsh second yellow.

“From then on its backs against the wall for 60 odd minutes with the lads feeling very hard done by, but we dug in and came away with a point so it wasn’t the worst day at the office.

“We’ve shown again that we aren’t an easy ride to beat and continues a real good run of form.”

The winners tomorrow will play either Whitstable Town or Cray Valley in the Kent Reliance Senior Trophy Final.

“It’s a great occasion tomorrow against Sheppey.  They are a fantastic example of what a reformed club can achieve in a short space of time and Ernie Batten and Barry Morgan have got some very good players playing for them,” said Smith.

“We’ve worked hard to get to this point and the pressure has generally been on us at every stage of the competition. That now changes!

“Sheppey have won the competition, experienced big games in the League Cup last season so they would be the betting man’s pick to go through.

“As a club we are proud to be in a semi-final. It’s been a very long time since the club have been close to winning anything so we’ll enjoy the day and give everything to cause the upset.

“Unfortunately, we go into the game without quite a few key players through injury but that provides opportunities to the younger players in the squad, who we have full faith in.

“We can also now call upon the experience of (former Faversham Town and Margate midfielder) Wayne Wilson, who can be a massive player for the club moving forward over the coming seasons.”

Visit Canterbury City’s website: www.canterburycityfc.net

Canterbury City  v  Sheppey United
Kent Reliance Senior Trophy Semi-Final
Saturday 10 February 2018
Kick off 3:00pm
At The Charles Sports Ground, St Leonards Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9AU