Cray are a hard side to break down, warns Butler

Thursday 26th November 2009

MARGATE boss Mark Butler says negotiations with defender Bradley Thomas are on-going, as he prepares for Sunday’s trip to Cray Wanderers, writes Stephen McCartney.

The tall central defender, who has made 13 appearances for league rivals Sutton United this season, arrived at Gander Green Lane at the end of August after a brief spell with Billericay Town, although he had a spell on loan at Sutton in August 2004 while with Peterborough United, his first club. He has subsequently played for Eastleigh, Yeovil Town, Crawley Town and King’s Lynn.

“We are considering taking, we’re in discussions with Brad Thomas, that deal’s yet to be concluded,” Butler told www.kentishfootball.co.uk this afternoon.

“We’ve got to negotiate with Brad if we want him so those talks will go on and we’ll decide if we’ve got him for Sunday.”

Butler has recently added Ben Clarke, James Duncan and Anthony Joseph to his squad, as he re-builds the squad at Hartsdown Park.

Defender, Clarke appears to have started in Wealdstone’s youth side before moving to Buckingham Town, but moved back to Wealdstone in November 2008, but was loaned back out to Buckingham last December. He also apparently featured for MK Dons.

Midfielder, Duncan, meanwhile, was initially named as a substitute for the postponed game at home to Wealdstone in mid-November after starting the season with Beaconsfield SYCOB in the Southern League, Midlands Division.

Originally a product of the Wealdstone's PASE Youth team he moved up to their reserves during season 2002-03 and progressed to the first team debut the following season and featured as the Stones won the Ryman Division One North play-off against Dulwich Hamlet.

After just two substitute appearances in the Ryman Premier, he joined Southern League Waltham Forest.

During 2006/07 and 2007/08 he was with Hillingdon Borough and played in the FA Vase Final defeat to Nantwich Town at Birmingham City's St Andrews ground.

He started 2008/09 at Leyton in Ryman Division One North but moved to AFC Hayes later in the season. During that March he played for a Middlesex FA side against the Amateur Football Association team.

And winger, Joseph, who scored a couple of goals from 19 appearances for Sutton United this season, signed in the summer from Butler’s previous club, Ashford Town (Middlesex) and has previously played for Chertsey Town, Kingstonian and Bromley.

Margate, who due to the weather and other side’s cup commitments, haven’t played a home game for two months now, travel to Hayes Lane to play a Cray Wanderers side that won their first home game at the tenth attempt in midweek, a 1-0 win over Maidstone United.

Butler says he and his team and prepared properly for their forthcoming games during their period of inactivity.

“We’ve just got to knuckle down, we’ve just got to train hard and just prepare ok and we’re doing that,” he said.

“We’ve used the fact that as we didn’t play Tuesday, we covered five games of football, me and my staff went out to watch Cray and Maidstone and four other fixtures, so we’re working very, very hard and trying to be prepared when we do start the games.

Butler says he was impressed with Cray Wanderers’ battling qualities in windy conditions against Maidstone United in midweek.

“It was a man’s game of football,” explained Butler. “It was tough in terms of conditions, you had to strike right through the football. It wasn’t an easy game for either team, chances were limited due to the wind. Cray took the advantage by fortunately scoring a goal direct from a corner, which was obviously wind assisted, well done to them!

“I was very impressed with the way they shut up shop, against the wind, in the second half. I thought it would be difficult for them. I thought they done very well. They had two banks of four, which in fairness to them, Maidstone couldn’t break down.”

When asked what kind of game he is expecting at Hayes Lane on Sunday, the 33-year-old Aldershot based boss replied, “It’s difficult to say. Quite clearly if Cray go a goal up they look like they become two banks of four and become difficult to beat.

“On the other hand if we go a goal up, do Cray have a go at us if they do have a go at us, does that leave room behind them?

“I don’t know what the game’s going to be like!

“We’ll be going there working on our normal way, we’ve worked hard on our pattern of play and we’ve worked hard on our fitness.

“We’ll be going there, not underestimating Cray Wanderers at all. I was quietly impressed with their performance, so fair play to them, I thought they were honest and worked really hard.

“What I will say, and that’s the question, if we work as hard then we’ll be ok.”

Butler is raring to go to start getting a run of games under his belt, having first taken charge of the side at Hastings United on 7 November.

“It’s fantastic at the club, I’m thoroughly enjoying it,” he said. “I have no issues , it would be nice to have a few more games to see exactly what we’ve got.

“We’ve played three away games of football, we’ve won two and lost one. We’ve got another away game on Sunday against a different type of opposition so it’s an opportunity to have a look (at my squad in a match situation rather than training).

“I would have liked to have really assess the squad over six games a lot quicker than I have been. But that’s the situation, let’s get on with it and a win on Sunday and everything would be great!”

Dan Young, meanwhile, continues to be on the sidelines.

For Cray Wanderers, assistant manager, Joe Francis has challenged his side to secure back-to-back victories when Butler brings his side to Hayes Lane.

“We’re looking forward to it, off the back of a win, it’s been a long time since we said that!” Francis told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“All games are winnable in this league, it’s about what you do. There’s nothing to chose between teams.

“We went down (3-2) to Wealdstone last week and we played very well and we deserved to win there and that was confirmed by Gordon Bartlett, their manager.

“We’ve just been unlucky in games. But you just have to keep wanting to turn up and try to win football matches.

“When you’ve not had that feeling of winning a game, it’s a proper test isn’t it? But you look forward, don’t you?

“Back-to-back wins would be nice, yes. We haven’t had that all season. We take one step forward, two back.

“We’ve just said in (the dressing room), we must have a bright week, turn up here and do it all again.”

Midfielder, Ross Lover (torn calf muscle), had been passed fit against Maidstone United in midweek, but spent the whole game on the bench.

Manager Ian Jenkins, meanwhile, is recovering from a cracked rib, but former Margate midfielder, Dean Standen, came out of plaster two weeks ago and will return to running next week.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Cray Wanderers’ website: www.craywands.co.uk

Visit Margate’s website: www.margate-fc.com

Cray Wanderers v Margate

Ryman Premier League

Sunday 29th November 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF