ON THE AIRWAYS: Angry Wings boss Ford makes his point

BBC Radio Kent interviewed Andy Ford (Welling United); Liam Daish (Ebbsfleet United); Jim Ward (Ramsgate) and Tony Burman (Dartford) following their matches yesterday, and we also include a the feelings of Margate pair Robin Trott and Jason Pinnock following their 5-4 win over Heybridge Swifts at Hartsdown Park, which kept their slim play-off chances alive.

WELLING UNITED boss Andy Ford read his side the riot act following their goal-less draw with fellow strugglers St Albans City at Park View Road yesterday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Wings moved six points clear of the Blue Square South drop zone following yesterday’s point and have appeared to have done enough to retain their current status with three games left to play.

“Our performance today was not acceptable,” Ford told BBC Radio Kent yesterday.

“I’m disappointed but a point, another clean sheet, but I didn’t think we were the better side today to be honest.

“Our tactics of one up front were not right, we were missing a few players, we had to change a few personnel but it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

“I’ve just had the lads in there for a good twenty minutes after the game, our standards are better than that and they need to know that.

“We didn’t get in their faces enough. We’re in a battle and some of the lads there today weren’t up for the battle it looked like to me and I let them know that.

“They’ve got to buck their ideas up a little bit more if they want to be here next year.

“It’s not the worst performance I’ve had but they were the better team than us today especially the first half it was all them and second half we changed it to a 4-4-2 (formation) and it did make it a little bit different but we never looked like scoring and never really got the ball down and play today so we need to improve.”

EBBSFLEET UNITED boss Liam Daish admits it’s unlikely that his side will finish in the Blue Square Premier promotion play-off’s after his side were held to a draw by Woking.

The Fleet had taken the lead through a stunning Stacy Long free-kick but the Surrey side netted an injury time to steal a point at Stonebridge Road.

Sitting in 12^th place in the table, the Kent side have collected 60 points from 39 points - four points more than giants Oxford United.

But the Fleet are 12 points adrift of the final play-off berth with seven league game’s left to play in a hectic three week period.

When asked if yesterday’s draw was the end of the club’s play-off dream, Daish replied: “Probably. Probably but not definitely.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Kent, he added: “It’s a cruel blow and sometimes you don’t get what you deserved out of life but we’ll take a lot of positives out of that because some of our play and the way we moved the ball and lots of running and movement, I was pleased with that.

“One slip it does upset you a little bit and you feel a little bit mugged but we take a lot of positives out of that.

“I thought that was good, we want to continue that sort of play, that form, that movement right through to May.”

The Fleet defeated Aldershot Town in two epic semi-final ties to reach the FA Carlsberg Trophy final, but the Hampshire side can claim the Blue Square Premier title - and promotion into the Football League - if they win at Stonebridge Road on Tuesday night.

Daish, meanwhile, wants to put back their promotion party.

He said: “We’ve got a good challenge in front of us, we’ll try.

“They beat us in the league earlier on, we’ve got the rights, the bragging rights with the Trophy (success) but we’ll be looking to play like that (against Woking) again on Tuesday and hopefully score a few more goals.”

Meanwhile, Fleet's Ladies team play holders Millwall Lionesses in the Kent Women's Cup Final on Thursday night.  The match at Sevenoaks Town's Greatness Park ground at Mill Lane just off Seal Road kick's off at 7:30pm.  Admission prices are just £3 (adults) and £2 (concessions).

RAMSGATE, the new holders of the Ryman League Cup, put in their best performance for two years, holding Chelmsford City to a 1-1 draw at Melbourne Park yesterday.

The Essex giants sealed the Ryman Premier League title with the point, but Ramsgate boss Jim Ward was proud of his players’ performance.

It could, however, been so much better for the Thanet side.

Ward's side took the lead after fourteen minutes when Stuart Vahid - who netted the winning penalty against AFC Sudbury in midweek - curled the ball past the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms, but the Clarets equalised with a controversial goal six minutes before the break.

Chelmsford goalkeeper Danny Gay, meanwhile, saved Lee Minshull’s second half penalty and a perfectly struck goal from former Herne Bay striker Aaron Firth was ruled out.

“Danny, my brother, reckons it’s the best we’ve played in the two years we’ve been in this division,” Jim told BBC Radio Kent.

“We’ve kept the ball for long periods today, they just couldn’t get the ball off us.

“We took the lead, a great goal, Stuart Vahid and then they equalised controversially just before half time and then we were awarded a penalty in the second half and their keeper’s made a great save.

“As far as chances came second half, we had as many as them. I thought the boys were fantastic today.”

The Rams, however, slipped one place to seventh in the Ryman Premier League table despite their heroics yesterday.

Horsham, one place below them in the table, arrive at Southwood Stadium next Saturday and Ward insists his side must win this - and games against Hastings United and Boreham Wood to keep their play-off hopes alive.

“We must win our last three games,” Ward said. “Three games that are winnable if we can keep the same standard of play that we’ve done today.

“We’ve got a chance but what a great season we’ve had no matter what happens.

“We’ve been lucky enough to win the (Ryman League) Cup on Wednesday night and here we are contesting the play-off’s with all these big clubs.

“Certainly everybody knows when they’ve played against us.

“I think as soon as you lose a game that will be it because the Ashford’s and Tonbridge’s are all flying so we just have to dig in and see if we get three points next week.

“It’s a great point today. A lot of people will say it’s not enough but to come here and they’re champions-elect, denying them their win, we’re pleased with that.”

ALEX O’BRIEN doesn’t score many goals, but he scored one of his most important goal of his life yesterday.

The former Tonbridge Angels midfield rock scored the equalising goal for Dartford which earned them a 2-2 draw at Potters Bar Town.

And with their title challengers AFC Sudbury also coming back from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at Wingate & Finchley, O’Brien’s rare goal might have secured the Kent giants the Ryman League Division One North title.

The Darts welcome Tilbury to Princes Park next weekend before travelling to Edgware Town seven days later - their promotion party maybe - before ending their campaign at home to Wingate & Finchley on 26^th April.

Six points clear of AFC Sudbury, who play their first of two games in hand on Tuesday night when Canvey Island visit Kingsmarsh Stadium.

Darts fans will be keen to keep an eye on internet forums for that game as one slip from the Suffolk side then the Kent side are a step closer to the title.

For Darts boss Tony Burman, he wants his side to avoid last-gasp levellers, especially in their last three “tough” games.

“It was very late and I’m just trying to recover to be perfectly hones with you,” he told BBC Radio Kent after yesterday’s dramatic fight-back.

“We’ve gone 2-0 down in the game as well, where we’ve been pushing forward to try and get a goal but I think we’ve scored two goals in the last ten minutes and one of them, the 100^th goal, has come in injury time.

“It’s great that we’ve got an equaliser and we’re still in there but it’s a little bit never wracking at the moment!

“It was significant today because we got back in the game from being 2-0 down and that’s given us a point.

“We’ve gone 1-0 down after a minute, which I’m really disappointed about but all I can say to Dartford supporters out there is “your team never gave up!”

“It might be an omen today, I don’t know. We’ve come here and Potters Bar have done well. I don’t know how we haven’t scored a hat-full of goals but there you go, it happens in football, that’s why it’s such a good game, I suppose.”

Praising the support, Burman added: “I feel they played a part in us getting the equaliser so we’ll done to all the supporters who came and cheered us on.”

MARGATE kept their slim Ryman Premier League play-off chances alive, beating Heybridge Swifts
5-4 at Hartsdown Park.

Robin Trott’s men are eleventh in the table but are only four points behind fifth-placed side Ashford Town (Middlesex) - a side that were in the Thanet club’s position about a couple of weeks ago.

Margate are one of seven clubs chasing that final play-off spot, which includes Kent rivals Ramsgate and Tonbridge Angels.

The fight for that play-off place and to avoid the three available relegation places (remember that Leyton went months ago!) will go to the last kick of the season on 26^th April.

Striker James Pinnock was Margate’s hero, hitting his first hat-trick of the season, but defensive frailties almost cost Margate dear in a game that they should have won at a canter.

However, it was the first time in six attempts that Margate had taken three Ryman Premier League points from the Swifts.

The Thanet side looked to have the game sewn up when going into a 5-2 lead on 71 minutes, but two late goals from the Swifts on 80 and 83 minutes set up a tense finish.

Margate were the dominant attacking force throughout the game, but defensively the home side looked nervous and vulnerable, particularly from set pieces.

Trott, who moved to left-back, a position he was deployed at whilst playing for Stevenage Borough, told www.margate-fc.com:  “ I don’t know how to sum it up. Four set pieces, four goals they got. It sums the season up really to a tee. Great going forward, just not finding our stance at the back.

However, on the plus side, despite being pegged back at 1-1 and 2-2, Margate kept going and didn’t let their heads drop and that aspect of the performance pleased Trott.

And on hat-trick hero Pinnock, who has now scored 25 goals, Trott added: “There’s got to be clubs looking at him. Hat-trick today, I think one on his left (foot), one on his right and another on his right. Just absolutely fantastic, all round player.”

Pinnock added: “Entertaining for the supporters, nerve racking for the players. Obviously for me it was great to score three goals - my first hat-trick.

“I think we deserved the win, but we just make it so hard for ourselves.”

Margate should fill their boots when they travel to doomed Leyton next Saturday but could easily emulate Ashford Town (Middlesex) and sneak into that last play-off berth, but they need to collect maximum points from Folkestone Invicta (home) and Harrow Borough (away) to stand any chance.

Visit websites:

www.bbc.co.uk/kent

www.wellingunited.com

www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk

www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

www.margate-fc.com