Let's hope we can have a succesful end to our season, says Bearsted boss Tony Cornwell

BEARSTED manager Tony Cornwell is cursing his luck when it comes to games being postponed due to the weather.



The Bears find themselves in the top four of the Kent Invicta League table with 38 points from 19 games, 21 points behind unbeaten league leaders Phoenix Sports, who have recently installed a stand and floodlights at their ground.

”Having had a very disrupted fixture list since the start of the New Year, having played only six games from a possible eleven Saturday’s mainly due to weather postponing fixtures, we now face the task of completing our remaining eleven games in the seven weekend’s available,” bemoaned Cornwell.

”We have a very congested end of March and early April with four games in the space of nine days, playing at Kent Football United on Good Friday; away to Orpington on Bank Holiday Monday as well as a re-arranged home game against Rusthall on Tuesday 26 March – at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium.

”After our impressive victory on Saturday, 9 March against Ashford United, unfortunately we again missed a fixture the following Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.

”It has been very difficult to keep our momentum and good form due to match postponements and we are lucky that we have an almost fully fit squad available at the moment to get us through what will be a difficult Easter campaign.”

Bearsted welcome basement side Lewisham Borough to Honey Lane on Saturday.

Willie O’Sullivan’s side have endured a miserable campaign having won three games and drawn one of their 22 games, despite the club improving it’s facilities, including a new clubhouse and perimeter fencing alongside one side of pitch at Ladywell Arena.

Cornwell said: ”Lewisham have had a disappointing season to date and seem to have had major changes to their squad and look to be rebuilding using many of their youth team players.

”Obviously when using youngsters it does take time for them to develop and compete consistently at this level and there will be some inconsistency with results which seems to be the case.

”We will go into the game with home advantage and as favourites to claim the three points but we know we cannot take our opposition lightly and will need to reproduce the form and determination to win what served us so well against Ashford recently.

”We have set targets for the next four fixtures and if we can achieve these goals without any slip ups or player injuries we can be in a strong position to re-establish and mount a challenge for a top-three finish.”

The Bears have five games in hand over third-placed Ashford United, who are seventeen points ahead.

”We still have to play one of our serious contenders for a top three finish, Hollands & Blair away in mid-April but on our day we are capable of beating anyone in this league,” said the Bearsted boss.

”At the start of the season I predicted Phoenix, Ashford, Hollands & Blair and ourselves would be the main contenders this year for the title and having played all three teams I would suggest all of us could hold our own in the Kent League if promoted.

”Let’s hope we can avoid any further bad weather and postponed games and have a successful end to our season.”

Visit Bearsted’s website: www.bearstedfc.co.uk

Bearsted  v  Lewisham Borough
Kent Invicta League
Saturday 23^rd March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Otham Sports Club, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG