Soccer Shorts: Histon deserve to be thrown out!

Friday 22nd January 2010

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HISTON face being kicked out of the FA Trophy after unwittingly fielding an ineligible player in Tuesday night's first round 3-0 win at Maidstone United.

On-loan West Ham teenager Jack Werndley should not have played, having been signed after the original registration date for the tie, 12 December.

Since then, at a time when Histon were undergoing major internal upheaval, the tie has been postponed six times.

Histon will learn their fate on Monday, when Maidstone expect to be reinstated.

The two clubs are due to attend an FA hearing, when Histon will hope for leniency as a result of all the understandable confusion caused by the off-field tangle that has seen Tony Roach replace former chairman Gareth Baldwin, as well as Alan Lewer taking over as manager in place of Steve Fallon.

"Talks are going on," Lewer told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "But we have the chance to take it further at Wembley on Monday if we think it will be worth it.

"All we can do is wait for the decision and continue winning football matches in the meantime."

History suggests that Histon will be thrown out of the competition, but they can at least be comforted by a precedent set this week in Scotland.

Dunfermline Athletic won their appeal for reinstatement to the Scottish Cup after they appealed against a similar offence.

The Scottish FA ordered their fourth round tie against opponents Stenhousemuir be replayed.

Their earlier expulsion arose from them fielding ineligible substitute, Calum Woods, who came off the bench in the second half of a 7-1 win.

Maidstone joint-manager Lloyd Hume told BBC Radio Kent: "Past precedents suggest that teams found guilty of similar offences get kicked out.

"With all the upheaval there has been at Histon in recent weeks, with so many comings and goings, I joked with the chairman about keeping a close eye on their team-sheet.

"It's not the way we wanted to go through. I returned home on Tuesday night thinking we were out of the competition.

"Then I received a phone call telling me that Histon had fielded an ineligible player."

Other manager, Alan Walker, who was speaking to www.maidstoneunited.co.uk added: “Obviously we would be delighted if we get reinstated in the FA Trophy as I think our performance on Tuesday night against Histon didn’t merit the result.

“We were very pleased with the boys and although we didn’t particularly threaten their goal we did cause them problems.

“Certainly I thought we did well to nullify them especially as they are two divisions above us. I know people will point to the fact that they have had a number of problems recently but we have also had our own difficulties as well.

“When we looked around the dressing room before the game we saw that the majority of our side has played at Conference level or above and the boys have been very good about keeping themselves fit over the past few weeks when the weather has seen many of our fixtures postponed. It also helped that last Saturday we played three sessions of forty five minutes using different teams.”

The Stones welcome Boreham Wood to Homelands Stadium and central defenders James Peacock and Peter Hawkins are available following suspension.

Shannon O’Donnovan was ill prior to the Histon game and has been on the bench recently so he might return to the reserves in order to get a match.

EBBSFLEET UNITED, who welcome Forest Green Rovers to Stonebridge Road in a must-win, six-pointer tomorrow, hope their new-signing, 22-year-old striker Moses Ashikodi bangs in the goals to climb out of the Blue Square Premier drop zone.

The 5ft 10in former England Youth International was previously with Kettering Town, but started his career with Millwall, making his debut aged 15 as the youngest-ever Lions' first-teamer, before moving on to West Ham.

A loan spell at Gillingham was followed by a short stay with Rangers where he appeared in an Old Firm derby before he joined Watford.

Ashikodi's scored in his first game for Ebbs fleet - against former club Kettering Town - and told www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk that boss Liam Daish sold him the club.

“I have been impressed with Liam in recent weeks, he has been very persistent and persuasive and has sold the club to me very well," Ashikodi said.

"I know quite a few of the lads here already and grew up with Ishmael [Welsh] and Shakesy, we all live close together so sharing travelling is good too.

“I am looking forward to scoring regularly and helping to secure the club's future in the Conference.”

DOVER ATHLETIC chairman Jim Parmenter has vowed to keep the club financially sound as it pursues a third straight promotion.

Whites, who came within 48 hours of closure and were £400,000 in debt during the 2004-5 season, are enjoying a renaissance.

They are second in Blue Square South and favourites to reach the promotion play-offs - and travel to fellow play-off challengers Woking tomorrow.

But Mr Parmenter stressed: "We never forget where we came from - and we never will."

He added: "I read websites where fans say why don't we sign this player or that player?

"But by and large our supporters have long memories and remember the bad old days when we suffered three relegations in four years.

"Dover was in such a mess that the club had to be run by the Supporters' Trust. Now, we have no loans and no overdrafts.

"My ambition is for gradual progression and we want to reach the Conference National, this year or next."

The Dover chairman is convinced the club can match the ambition of manager Andy Hessenthaler.

"Andy and I get on really well and I know he enjoys the day-to-day involvement that full-time football brings," he said.

"Hopefully he will be able to realise those ambitions with Dover."

ASHFORD TOWN manager Steve Lovell reflects on a morale boosting win in the week and urges his side to take that form into this weekend’s crucial league clash with Whyteleafe, writes Sam Dixon.

After a long lay-off from football the Nuts and Bolts turned in an impressive performance to overcome Ryman League Division One North side VCD Athletic in the Kent Senior Cup and Lovell was understandably delighted with his players resolve:

“It was a really good performance by the lads, especially after such a long lay-off,” Lovell told www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk.

“They showed great levels of fitness and played some lovely football, particularly in the first-half when we cut them open on numerous occasions.

“I was happy with the way we created chances as well, too many times this season we haven’t tested our opponents enough but on Tuesday the midfield created openings and we looked sharp in attack. Also, despite one lapse in concentration for their goal we looked very solid at the back and in the end I thought we were quite comfortable so it was very pleasing.”

Lovell handed a first start to Tom Murphy, at Homelands on work experience from Gillingham, and the youngster struck his first goal for the club with a delicate dink over the keeper which pleased his manager:

“Tom played very well and took a lot of the pressure off Mark (Lovell) because he made some very intelligent runs and showed great energy. His performance deserved a goal and he got it - it was a superb finish and it set us up nicely. We are delighted to have him here and he will only get better.”

The defence looked a lot more solid than prior to Christmas and the manager singled out his centre backs for special praise:

“Laurence Harvey was excellent again the other night, he really is coming on leaps and bounds now. He won his headers and made some great covering challenges. I was very pleased with his display. Danny Lye was also superb alongside him - they were solid and that’s extremely promising.”

Ashford travel to Whyteleafe tomorrow in desperate need of the points to drag themselves away from the relegation zone in Ryman League Division One South and Lovell is hopeful the win in the week will breed new confidence across the team:

He said: “We know we are in a tough position in the league and we are under no illusions about the size of the task ahead of us to climb up the table but we have players coming back to fitness now and Tuesday showed just a glimpse of what these players can do.

“We need to take this form into Saturday and I’m sure if we play like that again, keep concentrating and take our chances then we can pick up the points.”

Carl Harrold and Ryan Norman are both doubts after picking up knocks on Tuesday so there will be a late decision on them but Lee Hockey returns from suspension to fill in if required.

Paul Jones will be back as well and Joe Fuller will continue his comeback. In goal Scott Chalmer-Stevens]is still probably a couple of games away from full fitness despite playing in the week, and although Josh Willis is back at the club and played for the reserves in the week, Darren Ibrahim will keep his place in goal on Saturday.

Lovell added: “He hasn’t let us down in last few league games so he deserves to keep his place.”

ERITH & BELVEDERE have unveiled the arrival of three ‘new' players to Park View Road this week.

Adrian Deane and Aiden Pursglove have both re-signed for the Deres following brief stints with Erith Town and Hythe Town respectively and will need no introduction to Deres supporters.

Deane made 11 appearances for the Deres this season before joining the Dockers in November 2009, scoring one goal, and should be available for selection at tomorrows Bulmers Cider Kent Football League fixture at Deal Town.

Pursglove has made ten appearances for Hythe Town this season, five as a substitute, scoring one goal - ironically against the Deres on the opening day of the season!

He is currently serving a three match suspension and should be available for selection for our Premier Division fixture with Greenwich Borough on Saturday 30 January.

Also joining the Deres this week is 24 year old Tim Murdoch, who is a skilful, attacking midfielder who joins from Croydon.

A very creative player, Murdoch is more than capable of scoring some spectacular goals from his midfield berth and has also played for Lingfield, Carshalton Athletic and Bromley.

ERITH TOWN manager Steve O’Boyle has given his thoughts on how his squad is doing and reflected on some of the club’s comings and goings.

Talking about a couple of recent departures he told www.erithtown.com "I was gutted to see Jamie Kempster go, it was a blow to the squad. He had a great attitude".

Speaking about Richard Dimmock, who has returned to Ryman League Division One North neighbours, he added, “It didn't quite work out for both parties but we wish him well".

On a more positive note, O'Boyle was happy to note the progress of the younger members of the squad.

"We want to build the club around players like Joe Plant, Harry Montgomery, who's been injured and James Taylor.

“Then there's Bradley Killick who's just back from injury who we rate highly but he hasn't really had a chance yet. Laurence Collins, who joined last season, and has come on leaps and bounds and improved no end. Then we've got Tim Roberts, who replaced Jack Bradshaw in goal, which we felt was going to be hard to do but he's certainly done that.

“Jack is an excellent 'keeper but he didn't want to fight for his place. Tim has been a great replacement.

"We've recently brought in Kevin George who's had a few clubs but to be fair has really impressed".

Talking of the club's previous recruiting options O'Boyle commented, "Maybe before we went for some experienced Kent League players who have done well at this level before but now we are looking to go with the youngsters and when asked to play they've done well for us. We've got a good mix of youth and experience now".

O'Boyle was also quick to praise the efforts of Erith Town's reserves.

He added: "They're on a fantastic run, are in a semi final and are third in the league. When they come in they do well

Erith Town welcome Beckenham Town in the second leg of the Kent League Cup quarter-final second leg, hoping to overturn a 2-0 deficit on Monday night.

And he added: “We've got some big games coming up and lets see how we perform".

LORDSWOOD boss Jason Lillis insists that the Kent League's worst team are not in the competition to make up the numbers.

Lillis has taken charge of bottom club Lordswood, who have yet to win a single league game all season.

The former Gillingham, Carlisle United and Walsall striker has no budget so cannot pay the players wages or travelling expenses.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm a local boy who wants to put something into this club."

Asked why he had accepted the challenge, having been out of management since leaving former club Herne Bay two seasons ago, he said: "I was getting itchy feet and felt the time was right to make a return.

"If I didn't like a challenge I wouldn't have taken the job but I'm here for the long haul. Because there is no budget we're out looking at park footballers.

"There are a lot of good players in the Medway junior leagues so I'm making sure no stone is left unturned. My first job is to get the club off the bottom of the table.

"If we can finish the season off the bottom rung that will be an achievement."

SEVENOAKS TOWN boss Simon Jones reflected on his side’s midweek 1-1 home draw against Deal Town in the Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup quarter-final first leg tie.

"Reasonable - but not exceptional" was Jones' assessment of the team's first 90 minutes football for more than a month.

Speaking to www.sevenoakstownfc.org, he said: "It was like starting again, and if this had been the first game of the season I would have been happy.

"The long lay-off definitely affected the boys and we lacked a lot of things in the first half, and anybody standing near our dressing room at half-time would have heard our opinion about it.

“There were a lot of things we wanted to tweak and change, and I thought the guys reacted well. They know it wasn't up to the standards we want to achieve, and put a performance which was good enough under the circumstances.

“We gave starts to Ossie Bayram and Daniel Akpoveta and played John Phillips in a slightly different role, and we also had a look at Antony Pace as well. The little run he made at the end was ruled off side, but to me he looked onside, but I can understand the decision.

“Mickey Mullane had a good run, and he contributed well, Danny Ward and Jamie Johnson were involved and John Alegbe came on and balanced the team nicely when he went on."

Jones added; "We were chasing shadows a bit early on, and scored our goal against the run of play, and I think Deal would have been really disappointed to go in at half-time, having had the best of the game in the first-half.

"I think we came out in the second half and applied ourselves a lot better, there was a bit more purpose and movement, and we were a lot more organised, and remembered what we are about after being out for so long.

"Deal scored early, and probably went away feeling they could have won the game, but it was never going to decide anything for either team, and it was all about what we do down there next week."