Soccer Shorts: Folkestone coach Lindsey takes up Gills' youth role

Click here to read tonight’s Soccer Shorts articles - the last of 2008.  Happy New Year everybody!

WELLING UNITED are prepared to arrange a coach for their FA Trophy trip to Hednesford Town on Saturday, 10^th January, subject to necessary numbers being achieved. The return trip would cost £15 per seat. To register interest please contact Mark Fenton on 07836 577 940. You can also leave a message at the club on 0208 301 1196. The Blue Square South club will announce if there has been sufficient interest to book the coach.

ANDY HESSENTHALER believes his Dover Athletic side’s winning mentality is the reason why they have not drawn a match yet this season, writes Justin Allen.

Hessenthaler, speaking immediately after their 3-0 win over Maidstone United, which stretched their 100% home record to eleven games, told www.doverathletic.com: “We always believe we can win games - and go for the win. Draws are no good to anyone, so to lose a game and then win six on the bounce is so much better.

“But I must say, I cannot believe we’ve not drawn a game yet.”

Maidstone were spirited but lacked enough quality in the end but Hessenthaler says the Stones should be congratulated on their performance.

He added: "They worked hard against us - and made it difficult, but I was pleased that we got the goals and another three points, which is what it's all about.

"Frannie Collin tucked away the penalty nicely and he took the other goal well. We created chances and took three of them, so you have to be happy with that."

Thought’s turn to Saturday’s trip to Hartsdown Park to play Terry Yorath’s Margate.

Hessenthaler warned: “It’s going to be tough again. Terry has had a tough job there but he’s got a couple of good players in - and we’ll have to be at our best to get three points.

“Hopefully, there will be another big crowd and we can get another three points.”

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley today confirmed that player coach Scott Lindsey has informed the Ryman League Division One South club he has accepted a youth coaching role at League Two side Gillingham, close footballing friends of the Seasiders.

“He told us last night at training where it was the last session he’ll take,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

“It’s a position in their (Gillingham’s) youth development section and it’s a great opportunity for him and one he couldn’t turn down. He has been fantastic for us, an excellent coach and he thoroughly deserves his chance to kick that on.

“He played a key part in us reaching second in the League earlier in the season. He will be missed in more ways than one as he also sat on the bench giving us an extra number there.

“I don’t think we’ll be replacing him in the near future and instead we’ll all take on a bit more each. Also, we’ve got lads like Smithy (Darren Smith) and Jacko (Jimmy Jackson) who are very knowledgeable and who will be able to help out so until the position of the Club is sorted, we’ll keep it within the Club.

“Scott is in a lovely situation where he can still do a bit of his contract work as a taxi driver and go out at night and do the football side for Gillingham and I hope it all works out well for him. I’m sure everyone at the Club will join with me in wishing him the best of luck for the future.”

Lindsey will be taking a similar path to Priestfield to Mark Patterson, former Gillingham player himself and assistant manager at the Buzzlines Stadium. Cugley and Patterson retain close connections.

“You’ve also got Mark Saunders who is coaching now down at Tiverton and I like to think I gave them all a fair amount of responsibility and sometimes people don’t realise how much of a say they have, and it’s pleasing to see them move on and progress.”

In another hectic week at Cheriton Road, Cugley has signed goalkeeper Jack Delo from Ryman Premier outfit and Kent rivals Ramsgate on non contract terms.

Regular keeper Charlie Mitten, who has been an impressive ever present in the side this season up until the Kent derby last weekend, continues to recover from a bruised foot.

“I thought he (Delo) did very well on Saturday at Ashford and he trained with us last night and is a keen lad. With Charlie’s injury he will play Saturday,” said Cugley.

Against Ashford, Invicta left The Homelands defeated by a second half header from Danny Lye although there was little between the sides over the ninety minutes.

However, in the first half, Folkestone looked the better side showing the most willingness to get the ball down and play football on a difficult surface.

“It was a disappointing one to concede as we had people allocated to pick up different players from set pieces and Jimmy Dryden has let his man go and it cost us.”

With Folkestone’s 'goals for' column a concern for the manager, he has put in two seven day approaches for strikers.

One approach has been made for Damian Abel who is currently impressively plying his trade at Kent League side Faversham Town and the second relates to 20 year old Rob Denness at Chatham Town.

Whilst Invicta fans will be well aware of Abel’s talents, the historically prolific Denness has returned to Chatham after a brief spell at Ashford under Clive Walker.

“Damo is obviously very local, lives just around the corner and is one of the top scorers in the Kent League and is someone who would give us a different option. Rob is highly rated and is somebody who I think would be certainly worth a look at but at the end of the day the way the seven day approach works is it gives the other club seven days to try and persuade the player in question to stay, so we have to see what happens.”

Dependent on the outcomes of the approaches, Cugley revealed it could mean one of the present squad making way with the “ideal” situation being a “one out two in” scenario.

Sittingbourne are this weekend’s visitors to the Buzzlines; a side who have crept up the League under the watchful eye of Gary Abbott to the final play off berth.

Invicta fans will also be aware that former central defender Matt Bourne opted to move to Bourne Park after well documented financial constraints at Cheriton Road.

“I’ve been speaking to a few people about them and they are really playing very well and are looking a confident side. The lad up front Tom Bradbrook has been getting more than his fair share of goals in recent weeks,” said Cugley.

“I think we’ve been unlucky having the two games against Whyteleafe and Chipstead called off as I thought they were winnable and suddenly we meet sides such as Worthing and Ashford – both on good runs – and now Sittingbourne.

“Again on Saturday though against Ashford, I thought it showed we’re not far off and for all the experience and financial clout they’ve got we faired well. We just need to get the young lads believing in themselves and their ability that bit more and we’ll be alright – their contribution to the cause has been superb.

“Our biggest ‘problem’ is that we don’t like losing football matches and obviously that gets you down but we have to keep plugging away. We haven’t been rolled over since players have left and the players are starting to respond. On Saturday against Ashford, I think Kieron Byrne in particular did quite well.

“I keep saying it but we’ve got a good bunch here and we spoke to the players last night and although they’ll be out tonight they’re going to come in tomorrow morning to train and off we go again. It shows they care and want to do well and a win will lift spirits and we’ve said to them they’re doing the right things; working hard, training hard and playing alright and so we just want the end result.”

Aside from Charlie Mitten, Folkestone will hand late fitness tests to Josh Vincent (ankle) and Joe Neilson (rib) and Cugley could name an unchanged starting line up.

Off the field, Supporters Club Chairman Clive Arnold has this week announced the latest fundraising initiative to be launched, involving the manager himself in a sponsored weight loss programme.

Cugley explained: “The Football Club need the pounds and I don’t! I want to lose weight and I’m determined to raise the Club £1,000 in sponsorship which is my minimum target and hopefully it will help towards keeping us afloat until the end of the season. There was one good diet where someone said it was just alcohol and I thought that’d suit me but I’m not sure how healthy that would be!

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and Lindso will weigh me in on Saturday and start it all off. It’s something a bit different and people at the Club have been brilliant doing so many different things to raise money and I want to try and help as well as it’s so important the Club survives and gets going again.”

SITTINGBOURNE striker, Tom Bradbrook, appears to have declined a move to their Ryman League Division One South rivals Kingstonian.

The 19-year-old former Dartford striker, impressed the league leaders, scoring both goals in the Brickies’ 2-1 recent win at Kingsmeadow.

Bradbrook has relished his time at Bourne Park, having been third-choice striker at Princes Park behind Brendon Cass and Jay May last season.

But Sittingbourne insist their ten-goal striker is staying put at the promotion chasing club.

“Abbo (Gary Abbott) told me Saturday that Tom has said he is not interested in going to Kingstonian,” said a club spokesperson.

BECKENHAM TOWN have just created an unwanted record for the Eden Park Avenue club. Last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of high-flying Tunbridge Wells officially put the seal on what is now the worst sequence of results since the club joined the Kent League in 1982. The defeat, Becks’ eighth league and cup defeat in a row, was made worse by a double sending off before half time. Up until that point, Beckenham were, in fact, ahead thanks to a 16^th minute goal from Luke Milner. However, the double sending off of Milner and Danny Gorman inevitably brought an abrupt end to any hopes Beckenham may have had of getting anything from the game as two goals from former Thamesmead Town striker, Rikki Cable and an own goal from Becks goalkeeper Michael Holder inflicted Jason Huntley’s side’s eleventh league defeat of the season.

ERITH & BELVEDERE are staging a benefit evening for Sean Clarke on Friday, 9^th January, starting at 8pm. There will be a disco and karaoke on hand to help the party mood, while the Kent League club raise some much needed funds for the reserve team manager.

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Justin Luchford was a pleased man, after his side bounced back from an embarrassing Kent Senior Trophy defeat to minnows Orpington to bounce back with a 5-1 win at Herne Bay, writes Tony Gray.

Herne Bay had won nine consecutive matches before Faversham’s visit to Winch’s Field.

With the Orpington defeat confined to the history books, Luchford took the Lilywhites down to the coast looking to steady the ship.

With Faversham Town receiving the Molten golden ball for top scorers in November and the Bay boss receiving the Manager of the Month award before kick off, this local derby was always going to be entertaining.

"I think our discipline and work rate were superb on the day and I think that is probably what got us the result" commented Luchford after the victory, speaking to www.favershamtownfc.co.uk.

"We weren't at our best by any stretch of the imagination as we hadn't trained, and we had four or five back who hadn't played for three weeks."

Luchford was keen to highlight some outstanding performances against Bay.

He said: "For the first ten minutes we were under pressure, and Herne Bay are a very good side. But after that I thought we defended brilliantly. The back four and Kevin did a great job considering Jamie and Kris had been out for a while and Shearer hadn't started a game since 6 December.

"Obviously a word for [hatrick star] Steve O'Brien. He knew he was due a big game and those three goals were outstanding. I am delighted for him and hope he continues that form going into Saturday.”

Luchford was rightly proud of his players as they limited Bay to only a few goalscoring opportunities during the match. "We took our chances well" he said. "You can see why they have won so many games. They are strong all over the pitch and I was impressed with their side. However, I have to give my lads credit. To come to a team that have won nine on the spin, at their home in front of their biggest crowd of the season and to win 5-1 was tremendous.

"Great to have a good crowd in good spirits. We seemed to have a few there from Faversham which was also pleasing."

In true end of year tradition, the review of the Faversham Town's league performance for the calendar year is fairly impressive. Seventeen wins and two draws in thirty one games would have meant fifth place last term, the current position the Lilywhites find themselves in.

The boss was keen to praise not just the first team but the Reserves and U18s as well. "I think it has been a great year for the club. The first team have ended it fifth in the table and the reserves and U18's have also finished it in the top sections. We have to remember that January to May was a stabalising and re-building process. So to have that league record is pleasing considering we were bottom with four points this time last year.

"My personal targets have been reached so far. I wanted us in the top eight at Christmas and wanted us to be able to compete with the top sides, which we are doing. But as ever, feet on the ground, we have still only beat Hythe and Herne Bay, there are plenty of other good sides in the league that we have yet to face.

"My ambitions this season haven't changed. Top eight and the club has taken a massive step forward. We don't have a lot of money and my squad is already stretched. So for us to keep in that top eight in May would be fantastic."

Saturday’s home game against third-placed side Tunbridge Wells is another chance for the gaffer to see how far the club has progressed.

"They will be full of confidence as they have already beaten us twice this year" said Luchford. "They obviously have a very good budget. They should be challenging for the title this year.

"We always have a game plan and if we stick to it then we will certainly give them a game."

January is certainly looking interesting for Faversham Town with League Cup matches against Holmesdale to come along with league action against Greenwich and Lordswood. Luchford still has a few players with knocks and flu, but they want to play so Town should be at full strength come Saturday.

With the New Year fast approaching, the gaffer's New Years resolution was a simple one. "To keep moving the club forward. The last twelve months were the first step. Now we have to continue and push on.

"I would like to thank everyone at the club for their support, especially Alan Trent, who has been a rock for me this year and the work he has done with me on the players side has paid dividends. The whole committee continue to work tirelessly to get this club moving forward in very difficult times. Credit to them , and hopefully I can keep repaying them by getting results like Saturday."

“On behalf of Faversham Town Football Club, I would like to wish all you Lilywhite supporters a very Happy New Year.”

Visit club websites:

www.wellingunited.com

www.doverathletic.com

www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

www.sittingbournefc.co.uk

www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk

www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk

www.favershamtownfc.co.uk