FA CUP PREVIEWS:

www.kentishfootball.co.uk brings you some EXCLUSIVE previews to Saturday’s FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Preliminary Round ties.

Managers are invited to send us their views - and team-news - of thier matches - please click on CONTACT US.

Tommy Sampson is relishing Saturday’s FA Cup preliminary round clash against giants Dover Athletic, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Maidstone-based manager of Sussex County League side Redhill, is looking forward to welcoming the Ryman League Division One South leaders to Kiln Brow.

Sampson took over the Surrey club after spending two seasons as John Suter’s assistant manager at Horsham YMCA, and he’s looking forward to the clash with Andy Hessenthaler’s Whites.

“Saturday’s match with Dover is a real bonus for the club, mainly in the financial boost it will give our bank account,” Sampson said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“From a football point of view it will be a hugely difficult game because Hessy has got a lot of good players and that’s why they have started their campaign well.”

Redhill have many familiar names in their ranks, including goalkeeper Darren Ibrahim (formerly of Gillingham and Welling United), midfielder Ted Ansell (Dartford), James Carter (Dartford), front man Tony Reid (Bromley) and former Bromley boss, Stuart McIntyre.

But Carter (knee), Ansell (thigh) and Reid (ankle ligaments) are all expected to be ruled out for the cup clash.

“My first-team squad is only twelve strong at present and with injuries to the experienced Tony Reid, Teddy Ansell and young right-winger Tommy Brown, we are going to be stretched to the limit,” said Sampson.

“Having been here just seven weeks inheriting only three players, it has been a non-stop recruitment process to build the squad up.

“Three or four players will be playing against opposition of Dover’s calibre for the first time and I have told them all to show no fear but enjoy and learn from the experience.”

In his first season at Horsham YMCA, Sampson helped the club win promotion into the Ryman League for the very first time - and Redhill can expect the same outcome.

“We have a two-year plan here at Redhill and that is to build a new terrace, which we have already started, and in November start to build a main stand, which will restore the club’s grading for Ryman League status.

“At the same time it is my job to build up the playing strength and ensure that at the end of that two-year period, we will be a Ryman League club on the pitch as well as off it.”

Dover Athletic player-boss Andy Hessenthaler, meanwhile, has ruled himself out of the clash due to injury, and Alan Pouton (broken collarbone ), Craig Cloke (kidneys) and Matt Fish have also been ruled out.

But former Chatham Town defender, Matt Bourne, who starred for the Whites during last season, scoring a number of goals from the back, is “likely” to make his first start of the new campaign.

“It will be a tough game,” Hessenathaler told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.  “I know Tommy Sampson really well, Redhill will be very organised and hard to play against.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be making our visit ever visit to Kiln Brow on Saturday to cover this match.

Kent League club Herne Bay welcome Combined Counties League side Guildford City to Winch’s Field on Saturday - and chairman Mr John Bathurst is confident his club will progress into the next round.

“I’m quite optimistic,” Mr Bathurst said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, especially after his club defeated Faversham Town
6-0 last Monday.

“Guildford City will be tough. Up until last week, they had a 100% record when they lost 1-0 to new league leaders North Greenford.

“We are looking very good at the moment, defensively strong and playing good football.”

Mr Bathurst has praised former Chatham Town player, Luke Harvey for scoring a hat-trick at Salters Lane on Bank Holiday Monday.

He said: “Luke Harvey, up front, is playing superb, unsettling the opposition's defence and after Monday’s hat-trick, now has an eye for goal.

“I just hope the pitch doesn’t get any worse - we need some rain!

“If Guildford watched us on Monday, I think they will be more worried about us, that we are worried about them. Let’s hope we keep up the good form.”

Ashford Town boss Clive Walker will be without defender Charlie Glyde, whose on-loan from Folkestone Invicta, for Friday night’s trip to Kent League leaders, Erith & Belvedere.

The former Gillingham defender cannot play for Walker, as Invicta manager Neil Cugley doesn’t want him cup-tied.

Defender Nick Humphrey, meanwhile, is an injury doubt, due to a groin strain, but another defender, Graham Porter, has returned from a week’s holiday.

“It will be a hard cup-tie as they are top of the Kent League,” warned Walker, speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

The former Dover Athletic boss added: “It would be great to have a bit of a cup-run as it would be the first time for a few years that it would have happened.”

Paul Foley takes his VCD Athletic side just 3 miles to play their Kent League rivals Erith Town on Saturday.

And Foley is relishing the FA Cup preliminary round clash against Mark Tompkins’ Dockers at Erith Sports Stadium.

“We are looking forward to travelling the short distance to play Mark’s new-look side and I am expecting another close encounter following our even game against Whitehawk in the last round,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“I know that Mark has been strengthening his side over the summer and he even managed to get my old team-mate from our Fisher Athletic days, Bill Edwards to sign, who will undoubtedly be a good signing with his wealth of experience.

“We know a bit about them and we are hoping to give them a good game.

“If you were to go on their results so far, you may even go as far as saying that we are the underdogs, given that they are at home.

“But hopefully the good playing surface at Erith will allow our lads to play a similar game that we can on our home pitch that has given us two wins, four goals and two clean sheets.

“As I said for the last round, it is a good way of getting some money into the clubs coffers that can go towards ground improvements, upkeep costs, whatever really, so there is an incentive there but let’s face it, we aren’t dreaming of getting Manchester United in the third round proper!

Danny Burke replaces James Tedder in goal for the cup derby, and Foley joked: “If he plays anywhere near he did in the last round, we may have to send Tedders back to Dartford,”

Mark Greatorex (holiday) is unavailable but Danny Penny returns following his three-match ban.

Foley added: “We are fortunate to have a large squad of players who are all of a similar level so we will still have a strong side out.”

Keith McMahon wants his Thamesmead Town side to take advantage of home comforts for the visit of Whitstable Town on Saturday.

The Mead welcome a Whitstable Town side to Bayliss Avenue for their FA Cup preliminary round clash, with a home game against Ryman Premier League side Carshalton Athletic the prize.

“We’re at home, so we’re going to be confident,” McMahon said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, tonight.

“We know Whitstable really well and we’re expecting a tough game. They’re a good side, like us, a good footballing side.

Marc Seager’s Oystermen held Dover Athletic to a 2-2 draw at The Belmont on Bank Holiday Monday, and have now acclimatised to life in the Ryman League Division One South following their promotion from the Kent League.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Marc and his team,” said McMahon. “They’re our league champions last year and we’re looking to achieve the same.

“They set the benchmark last year and that’s what we’re looking for.

“Confidence is good, we’re at home, we’ve got nothing to lose.”

McMahon admitted both teams on the immaculate Bayliss Avenue pitch are well drilled and should provide entertainment.

He said: “We know each other really well. There’s not going to be any surprises, for a neutral it will be an excellent game of football, as both teams will get it down and play.

“Whitstable are like us, they all play together as a team, work hard, all good players.

“We have to match them through effort and work-rate and if we do that, our performance as a team will come through - it should be a very good game, I’m looking forward to it.”

Dean Kearley (hamstring) is McMahon’s only doubt.

Whitstable boss Marc Seager is also expecting an exciting game of football.

“I’m always confident of winning games,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  “But it’s going to be very tough. Thamesmead are a very tough side and being there they will be hard to beat.

“Not many teams will go there and get a result. We go into the game with confidence, we had a great result on Monday against Dover.”

Seager admitted that he’s pleased with how his squad has acclimatised to Ryman League football.

“It’s early days but the first week’s gone well,” he said. “The players’ have grown and I said against Walton & Hersham it was the first time we looked like a Ryman side - we should have got a result.

“We played ever so well Monday, a good result. It was one of those games that could have gone either way.

“Playing Dover shows how far we’ve come as a club and we’re looking to continue our good performance at Thamesmead on Saturday.”

Seager is, however, wary that McMahon’s men could cause a preliminary round shock by knocking his side out of the FA Cup.

“Thamesmead are a top Kent League club and if they have a bit of luck and continue with the progress they’ve made over the past eighteen months, then they could be playing in the Ryman League with us next year,” said Seager.

“We’re new boys to the Ryman League, not established yet, but people will look at it as we’re the Ryman League side.

“It’s a great feeling for us, normally Whitstable are the underdogs but we’re a good side, a very good side, and come ten to five, we’ll be looking for a home game (in the next round) against Carshalton.”

Managers are invited to send in their team news and views on their FA Cup ties by clicking on CONTACT US.

FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON)
Preliminary Round

Friday 31^st August 2007 (7:45pm)

Erith & Belvedere v Ashford Town
www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this match at Park View Road

Saturday 1^st September 2007 (3pm)

Colliers Wood United v Faversham Town

Corinthian Casuals v Deal Town

Dartford v Leatherhead

Erith Town v VCD Athletic

Herne Bay v Guildford City

Hythe Town v Whyteleafe

Redhill v Dover Athletic
www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this match at Kiln Brow

Ringmer v Chatham Town

Selsey v Lordswood

Sittingbourne v Chertsey Town

Slade Green v Croydon

Thamesmead Town v Whitstable Town

Tooting & Mitcham United v Cray Wanderers

Walton Casuals v Sevenoaks Town