Deal boss Hares waits for Holmesdale points decision

Sunday 17th January 2010

DEAL TOWN boss Derek Hares has urged the Kent League to decide whether his club will get the points from the infamous Holmesdale walk out on 28th November 2009, writes Stephen McCartney.

Hares and his squad were stunned when the entire Holmesdale side walked out and forfeited the Bulmers Cider Kent League match and Hares, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk wants Kent League officials to make an announcement whether his side will claim the three points.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll get three points from the Holmesdale game, when we went up there and they decided not to play the game,” said Hares.

“We got there all ready to play the game and then the (Holmesdale) chairman called me to one side and said they had a bit of a dispute in the club and all the players decided to go home.

“Obviously we weren’t happy with it after travelling all the way up there, it would have been nice to have known before we left. We had to accept it and get on with it really.

“The chairman told me straight, the players had gone. He didn’t go into any details what it was about but we just had to accept it.”

Deal Town ended their wintry break yesterday with a 1-0 win at Erith Town, a result that leapfrogs them over the Dockers in ninth place with 19 points from 13 league games.

If they were awarded three points for the Holmesdale debacle, Deal would climb up to seventh place in the table and be on course to finish where Hares wants his side to be.

“I would have thought they had made the decision by now,” said Hares. “The indications that I’ve had are that we will get the points, but that’s not been confirmed. If we do get the points that takes us on 22.”

Hares revealed that he missed yesterday’s win at Erith Town, due to a pre-booked trip to Blackpool to visit friends.

But he has received feedback from assistant manager Andy Biggington about the win over Steve O’Boyle’s men.

He said: “He said we played very well, defended well, had a couple of chances near the end of the game but other than that he thought we played really well.

“I didn’t want to miss the game because we’ve just missed three or four weeks. It’s just the way it worked out really, but obviously very pleased with the win and it keeps our good run going.”

When asked his he has hoped with training during the recent cold blast, Hares replied, “Difficult! We’re very lucky as normally we’ve got an Astroturf that we use at a local school but that was shut down for two weeks over Christmas with a lot of snow on the pitch.

“We did a bit of road running and what have you but then that became too dangerous really, so last week I had to cancel training altogether, which is the first time I’ve done that since I’ve been manager.”

Reflecting on his side’s campaign so far, Hares says there is more to come from his side and his aim is a top six finish and reaching at least one cup final.

Deal travel to high-flying Sevenoaks Town in the Kent League Cup Quarter-Final first leg on Tuesday night.

“We had a poor start, the first five or six games we struggled,” reflected Hares. “I picked up a lot of injuries actually in pre-season, some long-term injuries and one hasn’t played since, but gradually we’ve got our players back and I think that’s one defeat now in our last 12, undefeated at home, so very pleased with the way it’s going.”

Hares is pleased that he has made the Charles Sports Ground a fortress this season.

“I think it’s six wins and four draws, including cup games as well,” he said. “We’re in the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Trophy and the League Cup and I think it’s one defeat in twelve games now.”

With the trip to Greatness Park looming, Hares added, “Sevenoaks have done very well. Tough game. Every Kent League game is a tough game really but I think what we have done over the last couple of months is improve defensively. I think four of our last give games now we’ve not conceded a goal.”

Hares sees cup competitions as a way of bringing success to the club this term.

“I think any team in this league can all beat each other,” he said. “Obviously Faversham, the league is there’s to lose really, but I just feel any team in this league can beat anyone else. It’s so unpredictable.

“It would be nice to get to a cup final and maybe win a cup. The side’s good enough to finish in the top six in the league.”

Visit Deal Town’s website: www.dealtownfc.co.uk

Sevenoaks Town v Deal Town

Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup Quarter-Final First Leg

Tuesday 19th January 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Greatness Park, Mill Lane, Seal Road, Sevenoaks, Kent