I think the pressure will be on Phoenix to win rather than us, says Seven Acre boss Chris Tuley

SEVEN ACRE & SIDCUP boss Chris Tuley hopes to make the Kent Invicta League title race interesting with a victory against his former club tomorrow.


Unbeaten leaders Phoenix Sports are the visitors to Oxford Road and Steve O’Boyle and Tony Beckingham’s side have won nineteen and drawn two of their 21 league games and are three points clear of Hollands & Blair.

Seven Acre & Sidcup, meanwhile, lie in sixth-place, 26 points behind their opponents, having collected ten wins and three draws from their nineteen games.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game against my old club. I just hope the weather holds out and we can get the game on,” said Tuley.

“Phoenix are a great club, who have been consistently the best team in the league this year. That’s why they are unbeaten and top!

“I look forward to catching up with some old faces behind the scenes who have worked their socks off to get them where they are today, Morty (chairman Andy Mortlock) and Steve House, the vice-chairman.

“Full credit as well to Boylie (Steve O’Boyle) and his backroom team on everything they have done to date.  He is a long term friend and previous team mate of mine and I hope he does well – apart from when we play them of course!

“Other than that it is a big game for us but I think the pressure will be on Phoenix to win rather than us.

“I don’t think anyone expects us to get anything on paper and they are desperate for points to maintain their position as Hollands & Blair are right on their tails, so hopefully our boys will relax more, go out, enjoy themselves and play.

“We have a few missing, which is unfortunate but we do have strength in depth which will allow us to put out a decent side.

“We will play to our strengths and we will be very mindful of Phoenix’s strength, so we will do everything we can to reduce their threats and play the way we need to, to try and get a positive result.

“It’s going to be our toughest challenge so far this season.”

Tuley admits he is disappointed with his side’s against the top-four sides, Phoenix Sports, Hollands & Blair, Ashford United and Bearsted, after failing to pick up any points against them.

“The season to date is going to plan,” said Tuley. “My biggest disappointment is having not taken any points off any of the top four, which is what we need to do if we want to compete seriously in this league.

“I’m hoping this will change come 5 o’clock tomorrow and we get a positive result and it makes this year’s title race more interesting rather than we have a runaway leader, which at one point earlier on in the season was the way it looked.”

Visit Seven Acre & Sidcup’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/sevenacresidcup

Seven Acre & Sidcup  v  Phoenix Sports
Kent Invicta League
Saturday 23^rd March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Conservative Club, Oxford Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6LW