I think we've had a great season, says Corinthian boss Matt Longhurst

CORINTHIAN manager Matt Longhurst says he wants to finish the season on a high-note at Tunbridge Wells on Monday.



The Gay Dawn Farm outfit can finish their campaign in the top four if they collect a win at Culverden Stadium against Martin Larkin’s FA Carlsberg Vase runners-up and newly-crowned Kent Senior Trophy winners.

Corinthian retained their bridesmaid’s tag when they reached their second Kent League Cup Final on the bounce but they went down to a 4-1 defeat to Kent League champions Erith & Belvedere at Park View Road yesterday.

Corinthian took the lead through striker Adam Marsh in the 33^rd minute before goalkeeper Richard Stroud dropped the ball and gifted Richard Davies an equaliser seven minutes later.

But the Deres became the 12^th team to complete the Kent League and League Cup double by scoring three goals in the final nineteen minutes through substitute Adam Burchell, Richmond Kissi and skipper Jamie Wood, before Corinthian left-back Ben Wilson was sent-off for kicking Orlando Smith.

Corinthian will leap frog over Lordswood and secure a top-four finish with a win at Tunbridge Wells, who will be playing their second game since their Wembley exploits against Spennymoor Town eight days ago.

“The game should’ve been played two weeks ago and we were asked to do them a favour and not play it, so it’s not going to be easy going down there on Monday,” said Longhurst.

“We’ve got to pick the boys up.  Having said that, I just said to the boys, we’re going to use it as a positive.  We don’t want to finish our season on a sour note because we’ve done ever so well to get where we are.

“I think if we can go and win and finish fourth, fourth and a cup final with such a young team is a hell of an achievement.  Top five is a hell of an achievement.  We’ve still got something to go there and it gives us a chance to put a little bit of wrong right on the last day of the season.”

Tunbridge Wells, who lost 2-1 to Spennymoor Town at Wembley, before thrashing Canterbury City 6-0 in front of 381 fans on Bank Holiday Monday, can finish in the top-six if they inflict Corinthian’s eighth league defeat of the season.

Longhurst revealed that he held conversations yesterday with Wayne Burnett, the former Fisher Athletic and Dulwich Hamlet boss who is now in charge at League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge

Corinthian do not run on a playing budget and for a team of that stature to win the Kent League next season would be an amazing achievement.

Longhurst is enjoying the attention that his young side are getting at the moment.

He said: “People are talking to us now about potentially trying to win leagues and potentially try to win this and that. 

“Just to change people’s ideas of what we are like and to be able to change the perception of Corinthian Football team over the last 12 months is one hell of an achievement.

“Ryan Johnson, the captain, said to those young players (in the changing room after yesterday’s final), to be able to give that perception now that people are talking about us, just shows what a good job they’re doing this year. 

“I can’t ask any more of them. I think we’ve had a great season.”

Monday’s game will definitely be the last game for Daniel Bent, who moves to promoted Gillingham on a two-year scholarship and 32-goal striker Alfie May has a number of higher league clubs after his signature.

Longhurst said: “It will be exciting next year.  Hopefully Monday we can go finish off the job.  It’s not going to be a long summer, which is a good thing especially losing a cup final because you want to get back.  We’ll have four or five weeks off then we’ll come back in.

“We’ve already ear-marked three or four players that we’re going to bring in and if we can bring three or four players in plus we’re going to lose Dan to Gillingham.

“We’re going to try to hang onto Alfie but we don’t know if we’ll be able to but for his development perhaps it will be good for him to stay but we’ll see how that develops over the coming weeks.

“I think it’s exciting, it’s enjoyable to manage this group of players, a brilliant group of kids. This time next year they’re going to be another year older, another year more experienced so certainly looking forward to it.”

Visit Corinthian’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/corinthianfc  

Tunbridge Wells  v  Corinthian
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Monday 13^th May 2013
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG