Kentish Football 
I'm giving Beckenham plenty of respect, says Thamesmead boss Keith McMahon
Friday 27th August 2010
THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon insists he will offer neighbours Beckenham Town plenty of respect as the two sides lock horns in the FA Cup Preliminary Round tomorrow, writes Stephen McCartney.
Beckenham arrive at Bayliss Avenue following their two ties against a poor Sussex County League outfit Littlehampton Town.
The Kent League outfit were held to a 1-1 draw at Worthing in the first Extra Preliminary Round tie, before cruising to a comfortable 3-0 replay win at Eden Park Avenue.
“I went to watch them play Littlehampton down at Worthing,” McMahon told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“To be honest I left at half-time because it was dreadful! That wasn’t Beckenham, that was Littlehampton. I saw what I needed to see and came away. Beckenham will be a good outfit and have been over the years.
“I’m sure coming down to Thamesmead they will raise their game. They came to watch us Tuesday, I think they may have been a bit surprised with maybe the quality - maybe not - but it will be a good game. They try to play football, they’ve got a decent pitch to play on at home and our pitch is also immaculate as well.
“If we play well, I’ve got no doubts we’ll win but if we don’t play well, we’ll go out because Beckenham will beat us, but we’ll give them full respect.”
But McMahon feels his side’s Ryman League Division One North status - and home advantage - should see them through to the next round, where Norton Sports or Banstead Athletic await the winners, at Bayliss Avenue.
“Of course we’re favourites, I’m not saying we’re not,” added McMahon. “To be honest, the last couple of years since we got promoted, the only teams we’ve drawn in the FA Cup were sides in our league or above. We’ve not drawn a Kent League side, a Combined Counties side or an Essex League side so I’m quite happy with the draw and because we are favourites, we’re at home and that’s no disrespect to Beckenham, if you get a home draw and you’re a league above, you should be favourites but their a good side, it’s a Cup game and Cup games cause surprises. Let’s just hope there’s not one Saturday!”
McMahon’s side should go on a decent run in the competition - if they get past Beckenham.
He said: “That’s what I said in the (programme) notes. We have to get through Beckenham first and it could be a tougher game than what the next game could be, but we’re due a bit of a run. We’re a decent side and hopefully if we win Saturday, we’ll give Beckenham a lot of respect and if we get through
Becks on Saturday then we’ll worry about the next game but on paper it’s a good draw for us.”
Reflecting on his side’s league form, losing to Needham Market and Brentwood Town, in the opening week of the new season, McMahon remained positive, despite his side sitting second-from-bottom.
“Disappointing with points - but not disappointed in performances to be fair,” said McMahon.
“Needham Market, on Saturday, went up there, didn’t play our best but we done enough to get a draw I thought.
“We should’ve had a penalty after 20 minutes when we was on top and didn’t get one and then they got one just before half-time and scored directly after half-time.
“We got back into it and then they hit us on the break but we didn’t play our best but Tuesday night we played really well, went 1-0 up, had a bit of a turning point where my centre half (James Campbell) got an elbow into his eye and was basically off for about five minutes, disrupting us.
“Brentwood are a good side. I said in my programme notes I fancy them being right up there, being one of the favourites to go on and win the league and I was right. They were a very good side but we matched them and we really should’ve got something from the game.
“It was a great game for the neutral to watch and we played well in that game. If we play like that for most of the year we will win a lot more than we’ll lose, so disappointed we’ve got no points, but we’re not far away.”
Subject to FA Cup results, McMahon takes his side to Redbridge on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).
“We go into Saturday’s game in the FA Cup and on Monday, hopefully the Redbridge game still with confidence. Obviously we’d like to play not as well and have six points but that’s football sometimes. We just have to trust ourselves and stick together so we’ll be ok.
“Redbridge lost 1-0 to Sudbury on Saturday, they’re not meant to be a bad side. I went to watch them on Tuesday night at Ilford but it got called off five minutes before kick-off due to the lines being faded so I was disappointed I couldn’t see them there, but they’re always a tough side. Most Ryman League sides are, especially at home, but if we play well we’ll win more games than what we lose this year.”
Beckenham Town boss Jason Huntley, meanwhile, warns McMahon that his side are more than capable of coming away with a FA Cup shock.
“We’re the underdogs in that one now,” Huntley told www.kentishfootball.co.uk. “I think that will suit us to be honest. I’m not being funny, we do lower our level of football when we play against teams we know we can beat.
“We’re going to a team one division higher than us and have got good players and are paying good money. I think we’ll raise our game.
“We’re delighted to be back in after six years missing. Everyone wants to play in the FA Cup. A couple of young lads may not play in it again.”
Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk
Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk
Thamesmead Town v Beckenham Town
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Preliminary Round
Saturday 28th August 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd