England call-ups frustrates Cotton

ALAN COTTON was pleased with his side’s resolve as West Wickham defeated Sinjuns Grammarians 2-1 in the second round of the Kent/Surrey Amateur Football Alliance Cup at Corkscrew Hill today, writes Stephen McCartney.

The West Wickham boss was delighted that his side retained their 100% record - despite missing eight regular first team players.

Two of the players - Adam Freeman and Chris Rose - that played for England Amateurs in the UEFA Carlsberg Cup returned to the side, but the third, Neil Currie, was missing through injury.

All three West Wickham players played in all three games and helped keep a clean sheet. Unfortunately England, who finished on five points, along with their Irish and Italian amateur counterparts, went out of the competition on goal difference.

However, having players from your club selected for England is a proud honour at any level of the game, but Cotton, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, admits it does have its problems.

“The downside of having three players selected for England is that we have not played for three weeks as the League postponed games due to the Cup games in Turin,” said Cotton.

“Thus we performed below par today and we will need to improve radically before we travel to Beckenham Town on 13^th December in the Kent Senior Trophy.

“We hope to have two more of the squad available for this game, but we will be without Jon Waite, Ben David, James Williams, Ashley Everett, Rob Guppy and Stuart Owlett. All are carrying long term injuries or cannot get free from their University commitments.

“I am hoping that the three sixteen-year-olds will continue to progress and force themselves into the squad in December.”

Visit the Southern Amateur Alliance Website: www.southernamateurleague.co.uk