I'd love to go up, says Lydd Town boss Dave Smith

LYDD TOWN manager Dave Smith says the club faces a race against time to get their ground up to standard for promotion.

The Lydders remain two points clear at the top of the Kent Invicta League table with 48 points from 19 games following their last-gasp leveler in the top-of-the-table clash against Hollands & Blair.

Blair took an early lead through James McDonald’s 23^rd goal of the season and looked destined to become the only side to come away from Dengemarsh Road with a league victory, before central defender Ryan Smith, 23, popped up to bundle home his first goal of the season following Richard Quigley’s last-gasp corner.

Paul Piggott’s side were only 37 seconds away from leapfrogging over Lydd Town back to the summit before Smith’s close range finish, which keeps the Kent coastal club on top.

Hollands & Blair play their game in hand when they travel to struggling Eltham Palace next Saturday.

Palace have struggled all season and are second-from-bottom in the table with two wins and a draw from their 18 league games.

They were the only side to drop points to Crockenhill when they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Wested Meadow on 1 March.

Smith said: “It’s Craig’s wedding next week, my son’s getting married next week, the goalie, everyone’s invited. We called this off in August.  We’re having a ten day break, no training next week then back ready for Eltham Palace away next week.

“We’ve worked hard in the last four weeks so we’re having a little blow now.”

Lydd Town travel to Eltham Palace on Saturday 29 March, a week after Blair’s visit.

“I’m expecting to beat them to be fair,” said Smith, 52.

“We played them down here and we let them get their first point of the season against us and they sent a side down that was very good and we thought we did very well to get a draw because they were a very good footballing side, but since then they haven’t done a lot.  They’ve been struggling in the league, lost to Crockenhill.

“We need to go there and win. I expect us to go there and win, but no-one takes it for granted, but we now need to win our games. That’s all there is to it.  We’ll approach every game left to go and win the games. That’s all we can do.”

Lydd Town have thirteen league games remaining, while Hollands & Blair have fourteen, all to be crammed in before the May 5^th deadline.

When asked how the league title be won, Smith replied: “By the side that actually can go out and win every single game, whether it’s midweek or Saturday and turn the wins.”

“You just need to get the goals. If you win 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 or 4-3, you just need to get the win.  That’s all it’s about at this time, just getting the victories.”

Lydd Town have no seating or covered accommodation at The Lindsey Field and have not installed floodlights and time is running out to meet ground grading criteria for the Southern Counties East Football League.

“We’re not sure what’s going on,” admitted Smith.

“We’re still waiting to hear from The FA about our grant. If we get our grant the lights will be up here in time for next season.

“There’s a rule about March 31^st. If you’re lights aren’t up, you can’t go up, but Hollands & Blair have put in exactly the same rule. They’re confident that they can go up but their lights aren’t up at their ground so I don’t understand rules.

“I understand Canterbury are now sharing at Ashford (next season) which is fair enough, but I don’t know.

“Last season they wanted to switch two Sussex sides (Crowborough Athletic and Rye United) who didn’t want to switch so do they want more sides in the Southern Counties East League?

“Would they want to turn us down if we get our lights and stand up in the summer and offer us a place?

“We’ll take it. I’d love to go up. Are we ready to go up? Maybe not, maybe another season but we’ll go. We’d cope in here. We wouldn’t be one of the top sides but we would cope but we’ll see what happens.”

Visit Lydd Town’s website: www.lyddtownfc.co.uk