Huntley issues under-performing Becks a five match ultimatum

Last season’s finalists were dumped out of the Kent Senior Trophy by neighbouring Southern Amateur League minnows West Wickham last night, courtesy of Dan Haines’ 20th minute strike.

Honest Huntley, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  following the second round shambles at Eden Park Avenue, demands that his side beat Kent League leaders Hythe Town, third placed side Tunbridge Wells, Croydon, Greenwich Borough and Deal Town or heads will roll.

Becks are clearly under-performing and at the half-way point of their campaign and they only have Croydon, Lordswood and perennial whipping boys, Sporting Bengal United, who have lost all 15 of their league games, below them in the table.

For a side that finished in third place last term, that is hard to take, especially for the under-pressure former Stansfeld boss.

"We’ve got a few players from last year when we absolutely tore this league up and this year they’ve been nowhere near it for whatever reason," fumed Huntley.

"I certainly can’t tell you why that is, only they can tell you that!

"Tonight we should be (ripping up) their defence and we just didn’t do it - we ran out of ideas!"

Midfielder, Charlie Hearn, who has played professional football prior to dropping down to play Kent League football, could be heading for the exits - with numerous other fallen stars, if they don’t perform against modest players and end their unwanted run of six games without a win.

"Charlie Hearn played for Millwall’s first team, played for Northampton’s first team, played in the Conference before he came here - last year he played for Ebbsfleet all season," fumed Huntley.

But he admitted: "Sometimes it’s not (about) getting all the best players (that) make the best team. It doesn’t. You’ve got to get the mixture right and people who want to roll their sleeves up and battle for you and your quality players will see you through then - but we will get it right!"

Before speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night, Huntley was on his mobile or speaking to players on an individual basis in the clubhouse cellar and he demands a vast improvement for the visit of Hythe Town on Saturday.

Paul Fisk’s side have recently reclaimed top spot and are two points clear of Holmesdale.

Huntley has given his side until the end of January to turn things around.

He said: "Out of that team there’s only six or seven I’d probably want to keep out of the whole squad tonight.

"I’ve given them until after Christmas and the next five games, then I’ll have a look and see where we are then.

"Hopefully we’ve got more points on the board - fifteen points - and then I’ll start bringing in some young kids and giving them a go at this level.

"They know they’ve let themselves down, they know they’ve let me down.

"There’s no point in me keep shouting at them because you don’t get nothing out of them.

"You try to be constructive with them. I will tell them when they need to be told."

Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk

Beckenham Town v Hythe Town
Saturday 20^th December 2008
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1JL