I'll put money on a top-five finish, says Lordswood boss Jason Lillis

LORDSWOOD manager Jason Lillis says he will put money on his side finishing their Kent Hurlimann Football League campaign in fifth-place.



The Medway outfit are presently sitting in seventh-place with 41 points from 25 games, six points adrift of fifth-placed Corinthian, who have played two games more.

Lordswood were denied their first trophy at this level when they went down to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Wembley bound Tunbridge Wells in the Kent Senior Trophy Final yesterday.

Lordswood opened the scoring inside ten minutes when striker Jordan Wells’ brilliant free-kick from 28-yards clipped the top of the right-hand post and went in off goalkeeper Chris Olagogba, which will go down as an own-goal.

But Lillis admitted wastefulness in front of goal was to be his side’s downfall as Martin Larkin’s FA Carlsberg Vase finalists grabbed their first piece of silverware for 25 years when they fought back during the second half following the introduction of Carl Cornell from the bench.

Winger Jon Pilbeam burst past Joe Kane and drove a ball across goal which Lordswood keeper Matt Byott parried at the near post and the ball rebounded off Lordswood skipper Gary Cook for the second own-goal of the game.

But Pilbeam’s excellent shot, which curled into the top far corner gave Tunbridge Wells the trophy and entrance into next season’s Kent Senior Cup, leaving Lillis disappointed yet proud of his side’s efforts.
Attention now turns to their trip to Greenwich Borough on Tuesday night, before travelling to Tunbridge Wells on Thursday.

Greenwich Borough are in the bottom-four with 28 points from 27 games, thirteen points clear of bottom-of-the-table side Sevenoaks Town.

“I don’t need to pick these boys up, they’re ready,” said Lillis.

Lillis will be leaving the club at the end of the season to become Nicky Southall’s assistant manager at Ryman League Division One South Whitstable Town and hopes Lordswood continue to progress without him next season.

He said: “I just hope that someone takes a look of what they’re achieving and then just invest money somewhere, get some investment from somewhere.  The social club have really got to invest in the team and if they don’t, I just don’t know, I just don’t know.

“It’s not about Whitstable now. It’s about me finishing the season off with the boys and then showing exactly what they are and I will go from there and I’ll worry about Whitstable at the end of the season.”

Lillis spoke about his aspirations for the remainder of the season, which also sees them play Holmesdale, Deal Town, Erith & Belvedere, VCD Athletic and Rochester United.

“We’ve got to be focused until the end of the season. We want a top five finish and that’s what we’re going for.

“I’ll put money on that, that we will.  We’re punching above our weight but the boys deserve to be there. 

“I just don’t want them now to be flat and finish the season off on a low, but my boys won’t do that. I won’t let them do it!”

When asked about their trip to Tunbridge Wells this coming Thursday, Lillis replied, “They don’t want to play us!  I just think the boys know they deserved to win yesterday and they’ll just apply themselves like they did and they’ll do that on Thursday as well.”

Visit Lordswood’s website: www.lordswoodfc.co.uk  

Greenwich Borough  v  Lordswood
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Tuesday 16^th April 2013
Kick Off 7:45pm
At 68 Oakley Road, Bromley, Kent BR2 8HQ