I'd say we're dark horses for the Kent League titls, says Erith Town boss Tony Russell

ERITH TOWN manager Tony Russell says his side are the dark horses for the Kent League title despite their 100% record after four games.


The Dockers have kept four clean sheets in 360 minutes of league football after beating Sevenoaks Town (3-0), Fisher (1-0), Greenwich Borough (8-0) and last night they comfortably defeated Holmesdale 4-0, courtesy of goals from Tyrus Gordon, Aaron Williams, Cory Walters-Wright and substitute Harry Stanhope to go three points clear at the top.

The only disappointment was losing 4-2 at home to Ringmer in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round and missing out on a trip to Ryman League Division One South side Faversham Town in the next round on Saturday.

Erith Town make the short trip to Crayford to face Ricky Bennett’s VCD Athletic on Bank Holiday Monday, as two of the title challengers lock horns so early in the season.  This game, however, will be subject to Vickers’ FA Cup result at the weekend.

Vickers are presently in second place and also have a 100% record in the league after beating Beckenham Town (5-1), Cray Valley (2-0), Dorking (4-3 in the FA Cup) and Whyteleafe (2-0).

Vickers welcome Ryman League Division One South side Whitstable Town in the FA Cup Preliminary Round on Saturday.

“It will be good. I’ve got fond memories there. We did the double over them last year,” recalled 33-year-old Russell.

“Ricky and Silks (assistant manager Andy Silk) are top men, top people. 

“VCD are a hard team to play against.  They’re organised.  You only have to look at the Beckenham result, they gave them a good hiding so we’ll go there and do our thing and hopefully, fingers crossed, we might get lucky.”

When asked whether his side are a title challenger, alongside VCD Athletic and Erith & Belvedere, Russell played down his side’s chances.

Erith & Belvedere manager Micky Collins snapped up former Gillingham, Dartford and Margate attacker Adam Burchell, 21, on non-contract terms on Sunday and Russell admits he cannot pull off massive transfer coups.

He said: “I’ve seen on your website Micky Collins goes out and gets this lad that everyone’s after – unbelievable!

“Look at their ground and the pool for players that they’ve got, they’re a big club. They’ve got a lovely facility – so have VCD.

“We’re just a club who play at a sports centre – what chance have we got?

“Can we compete with that? No!  We have to rely on getting the boys in and working and being different from everyone else. That’s the only thing that separates us is that we’re play differently.

“We can’t pull people out the fire like that.

“I’d say, honestly, hand on heart, I think we’re lively outsiders. I’d say that we’re dark horses. I’d say we’re nowhere near the favourites.

“I look at VCD. I look at Erith & Belvedere. Like I said at the beginning , if you finish above them you’re pretty close but I believe in these boys, honestly I do.  They take so much information on about our shape. If we keep doing that and we have a bit of luck, just keep winning games, that’s all we can do.”

One player who consistently performs for Erith Town is talented midfielder Liam Burgess.

The 21-year-old turned down the opportunity to try his luck at Blue Square Bet South side Welling United last summer, opting to stay in the Kent League with the Dockers.

Russell said: “He’s different class. He baffles me!  I phoned (Welling United manager) Jamie Day about him to have a look at him. Jamie had a look at him but Liam killed himself because he went on a boys’ holiday halfway through the trial. He played against Charlton and Jamie sent him back and said he will keep tabs on him.

“He needs to get a little bit stronger and go to the gym and do a bit but he’s come back and he hasn’t done that. That’s Liam’s decision.  I said to him if he wants to move, but I’ve never had a seven-day approach for him all the time I’ve been here.  I’ve had seven-dayers for people but I’ve never had one for him.

“It baffles me but other managers look at him. Unless you play the way we play he won’t be great in central midfield because he’s not the biggest, he ain’t the strongest, but what he is he’s an unbelievable footballer with a brain and not a lot of people play like us.  Managers look at him and go he’s a little bit too small. 

“People might be right. You can’t win the Kent League by playing football. I want people to express themselves. If we win nothing at the end of it at least I can turn round at the end of it and say I’ve got an identity, people know what I’m about and people like Liam will get a chance because if you hit channels and we bomb it up there he might as well sit next to be because it will be going over his head!”

Highly-rated Russell has also been impressed with former Welling United defender Cory Walters-Wright, who at the age of eighteen has a good future ahead of him.

Russell said: “I’ve played centre half and Razor (Ray Powell) is a defender as well so Cory’s learning as well. We do stuff in training on him and he knows he’s come in for a year to try to learn and Jamie (Day) trusts me and Razor to do that and that’s the beauty of knowing people in the game because they know you and they have a mutual respect for you.”

Russell revealed last night that goalscoring substitute Stanhope was recommended to him by Welling United striker Jon Main, who certainly knows the art of goalscoring, especially during his time at Tonbridge Angels and AFC Wimbledon.

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtown.com

VCD Athletic  v  Erith Town
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Monday 27^th August 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN