Kentish Football 
If I told you I haven’t been dreaming of a trip to Guernsey I’d be lying, says KFU boss Sam MacNeil
The artist formerly known as Erith & Dartford Town travel to Mead Lane for a First Qualifying Round tie with £500 up for grabs for the winner.
The Crayford based club are presently in the bottom six in the Kent Invicta League table with one win and two defeats from their first three league outings.
Farnham Town, who are managed by Paul Tanner, play in the Combined Counties League Premier – which is one level higher – and are in 12th place (in a 22 team division), with a 50% record from their four league games.
MacNeil, who at 20 is the youngest manager in Kent football, said: “Farnham Town is going to be a tough game, they sit midtable in the Combined Counties League and I am sure want to open up at home with a win in the FA Vase.
“It will be my first experience as a manager in the FA Vase and I am thoroughly looking forward to it.
“We played a different style against Phoenix, trying a new shape and it worked so we will be sticking with it and I think we can surprise them.
“Player availability for Farnham Town on Saturday is a lot more positive than Monday’s trip to Phoenix sports. We are still without long-term injured Michael Odejobi with a broken foot but new signings Georgie Jones and Dan Willis are in the squad.
“We will continue with our attacking front three of Elstrom Die, Alex Tiesse and the impressive Dave Abe. Dave has been playing well recently and we are lucky to have a player of his quality with us when he could have gone to Herne Bay.”
The Crayford-based club could travel to big-spending Guernsey – who are sitting proudly at the top of the Combined Counties League table after five games – in the next round if the channel island outfit come away from Sussex County League side Crowborough Athletic with a win at the weekend.
MacNeil said he would relish an all-expenses paid trip to Guernsey in the next round on 15 September in the Second Qualifying Round of the competition.
He said: “Guernsey on the horizon is the dream, with gates of up to 1,500, flying out by plane, being the first Kent club out there and the publicity and revenue it would bring for the club would be astronomical.
“However, one step at a time. We have a tough fixture away at Farnham Town to focus on but a fantastic opportunity is round the corner for everyone involved so if I told you I haven’t been dreaming of a trip to Guernsey, I’d be lying!”
Kent Football United began their Kent Invicta League campaign with a 3-2 home win over Woodstock Park, but they lost to two much-fancied sides for the title, Hollands & Blair and Phoenix Sports.
MacNeil reflected: “The season so far has been ok and maybe a tad disappointing.
“We started with a fantastic victory against Woodstock Park where the chances created and performance warranted a much bigger winning margin.
“We then went away to Hollands & Blair and in all respects you can’t lose your best midfielder to a broken foot and goalkeeper in the first 20 minutes and expect to do well.
“We played Phoenix on Monday with a real makeshift team, only having 12 fit and available with four midfielders part of a back five and came away on the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline.
“However, our performance on Monday was very good. We moved the ball well, opened the game with a fantastic goal from Dean Elliott, who was brilliant at left-back.
“All game we had chances to take a two or three goal lead before Phoenix came back just before half-time.
“I am happy with where we are and we must pick up points through September, which we expect to do.”
The arrival of two strikers from Kent League side Beckenham Town a week before the start of the season raised eyebrows – but MacNeil says Elstrom Die and Alex Tiesse have adapted to their new surroundings after dropping down a division.
He said: “Elstrom and Alex have settled in very well and do give that extra dimension. Against Woodstock Park they will agree they should have had at least three goals each.
“The two boys work so hard up front holding the ball, creating chances, making different movements and their experience is invaluable to a young developing side and that is why we are delighted to have two such players in the squad, as what we are building is a long-term project to get the club on and off the pitch to a level where it can challenge sustainably as we build the infrastructure off the pitch.”
MacNeil revealed he wants to bring former Thamesmead Town attacker Bradley Killick in from Phoenix Sports.
He said: “We have made a few new signings this week, adding a couple of centre backs including Dan Willis, formerly of VCD Athletic and Thamesmead Town, and we have made an approach to Phoenix for Bradley Killick, who doesn’t play for them but is signed there to bring him into our squad as well.”
Kent Football United welcome newly promoted side Crown Alexandra to Oakwood (Old Road, Crayford) next Wednesday (7:45pm) and the manager wants to have a good September.
The Dartford based club, which were formed in 2007, are second from bottom in the table after picking up one point from their two games so far.
Crown Alexandra finished in eighth-place (of eleven sides) in the fourth-tier (third division) of the South London Alliance last season, playing the likes of
New Park Reserves, Heathfield, Fleetdown United A, Oldsmiths, Southmere, Elite, Bexley Reserves, Iron Tugboat City, Old Colfeians and Downham Town.
MacNeil said: “Crown Alexandra are an unknown quantity really. I had someone look at their game against Crockenhill where they were defeated 2-0 so we know how we are going to set-up against them.
“It should be interesting, but what’s essential now is now we’ve found our feet in the league and got two tough trips out of the way we need to pick up points.
“I’m setting the bar high in September for the league as we need to perform and pick up points in our home games against Crown Alexandra, Orpington and Crockenhill, who have all got to come here and I’m looking for maximum points as well as securing wins on our travels where we have to visit Lewisham Borough, Seven Acre & Sidcup and Eltham Palace.
“We don’t take any team for granted and so must make sure our performances remain high in quality to ensure we pick up the points we know we are good enough to achieve.
“A good September would shoot us up the table.
“We are hoping to add a couple more players in during the next week and a half and may have one more in the side for Crown Alexandra next Wednesday.
“There are no other injury concerns and so we can look forward to Saturday and take a real positive mentality into that game and hopefully force a result!”
MacNeil revealed that 22-year-old Joe Ford – son of former VCD Athletic manager Martin Ford – is his new assistant manager.
“Joe Ford will be coming in as assistant manager from Saturday. Joe is an enthusiastic young coach and came down Tuesday night to have a chat and has joined up with us at Kent Football United. Joe expressed his ambition to challenge himself at this level and so he has been given that opportunity as part of my management team.”
Meanwhile, MacNeil is delighted that Kent Invicta League sides have been given the green light to compete in the Kent Senior Trophy.
He will take his side to Culverden Stadium to play Tunbridge Wells in the First Round of the revamped competition on Saturday 6 October, with the winner travelling to Holmesdale or Ashford United in December.
MacNeil said: “The club are very excited visiting Tunbridge Wells in the Kent Senior Trophy. I’d like to say the competition looks a lot stronger this season with Step 5 and Step 6 combined and that I’m predicting some very close games as the gap at the top of the Kent Invicta League to the Kent League is getting closer all the time!”
Farnham Town v Kent Football United
The FA Carlsberg Vase First Qualifying Round
Saturday 1st September 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Mead Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7DY
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