Soccer Shorts: I'm staying at Tooting, says Vines - EXCLUSIVES

We bring you the team news for some of tonight’s pre-season friendlies.

Central defender Joe Vines, 26, has decided to stay with Ryman League Division One South club Tooting & Mitcham United, writes Stephen McCartney.

The former Cray Wanderers, Bromley and Welling United defender, played for Dover Athletic during their 4-1 defeat to Gillingham on Saturday.

But after weighing up his options of a move to Crabble, Sidcup resident Vines, has decided to stay at Imperial Fields.

“I’m staying at Tooting,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  this morning. “It’s too far to travel to Dover for training and midweek games.

“But the door has been left open for the future though.”

He added that Dover Athletic player-manager Andy Hessenthaler was “very understanding” about his decision.

Bob Pittaway, the joint-manager of Kent League side Sevenoaks Town, is looking forward to their pre-season friendly against Ryman Premier League side Folkestone Invicta tonight.

“The fixture with Folkestone tonight, we’ve still got people with a few injuries and on holiday, (but) we’ll be fielding a fairly strong side in the first half,” he revealed to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We’re still giving lots of players an opportunity to perform.

“The friendly, even though it’s a good fixture for us, it’s really only a training exercise. We’re preparing ourselves for the start of the season against Herne Bay, where we’ll put out our strongest side, and we’ll perform well.

“Tonight’s a training exercise, and we’ll give players a feel of the ball, and see how they’ll perform.”

Whitstable Town manager Marc Seager will be taking an eighteen-man squad for their trip to Ryman Premier League side Ramsgate tonight.

Tommy Martin, who wasn’t available for the Ryman League Division One South newcomers' defeat to Canterbury City on Saturday, will be available, but Sam Prett and Marcos Perona are both out of the Southwood Stadium clash due to work commitments.

“I’m looking forward to the game, against one of Kent’s top non-league sides,” Seager told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I know it will be a massive work-out for the players.

“Results in friendlies mean nothing to me, it’s all about the players’ getting their fitness, skill and mental levels ready for the opening league match.

“But what I do look for is players’ having the right attitudes, showing character and doing the right thing.

“With such a big squad, it’s now up to the players’ to play their way in to the squad for the opening league match, so there is a little pressure on them.

“But that’s what you expect at this level of football.”

Dartford boss Tony Burman is not risking striker Jay May (ankle) for their trip to Kent League side Tunbridge Wells.

May picked up the injury against Crystal Palace last Friday, and was substituted after 55 minutes of the 3-0 defeat.

Strike partner, Brendon Cass, is, however, available for the match at Culverden Stadium tonight, his last game before the school teacher goes on his holiday, but defender, Richard Avery is unavailable as he returns from his break on Friday.

“I’m pleased with the sessions so far,” Burman admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today.

“A long way to go before the 18^th August, but we will be ready!”

There’s the battle between the two Phil Miles’ at Harrow Meadow tonight, when Kent League side Greenwich Borough welcome Ryman Leaguers Chatham Town (7pm).

“It should be a good test to see where we are with our fitness level’s,” Borough’s Miles' told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We have a few new players that we looked at against Croydon Athletic on Saturday, which we won 2-0, and it will be interesting to see how they shape up against stronger opposition.

“At the present time I’m more interested in how the team gels together, opposed to results.”

Kent League side Lordswood welcome a Maidstone United side to North Dane Way that have won their opening two pre-season games to date.

Ryman Premier League Stones have defeated Thurrock and Erith & Belvedere and arrive in fine form, especially with Errison Ahwan netting two goals in as many games.

And Lords’ manager, Shawn Mitchell, preparing for his first season at the helm, is looking forward to the match.

“It will be a very good work-out against a team three leagues above - it will be a big test for my lads,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

Mitchell, with an eighteen-man-squad available, added: “I will have everyone available after the weekend as I have lads’ on their holiday’s still.”

Tonbridge Angels’ star striker, Jon Main, sits out tonight’s trip to Kent League side Faversham Town, due to a foot injury.

The Angels enjoyed a “very good trip” up in Newcastle over the weekend, where the Ryman Premier League side drew 1-1 with Blue Square Northern club, Blyth Spartans on Friday night, before winning comfortably 3-0 at North Shields the following day.

And Tony Dolby’s men are quickly back in action following their long trip.

Dolby told www.kentishfootball.co.uk  : “After a very good trip to Newcastle and getting back late on Monday, it is probably not ideal that we have to play the next day at Faversham, but this is pre-season and it’s not supposed to be easy.”

Jon Main, 26, did not feature at all up in Newcastle and will also not be fit for tonight’s game due to a foot injury, but Dolby said “we hope to have him back in a week or so.”

Defender Matt Lovell did not feature due to a parasite in his blood, that he picked up abroad, and is also a major doubt. Another defender, Steve Aris (holiday) is also missing.

Dolby added: “Apart from that, we should have a decent sized squad to travel with and hope to keep our good start to pre-season going.”

Dover Athletic player-manager, Andy Hessenthaler has revealed goalkeeper Darren Smith has not be at pre-season training.

American Dean Ruddy, whose on trial from Ryman League Division One South rivals, Horsham YMCA, impressed during his first half showing in the Whites’ 4-1 defeat to Gillingham on Saturday, and is expected to play against Eastbourne Borough at Crabble tonight.

“Ruddy will get more than 45 minutes on Tuesday,” Hessenthaler told www.doverathletic.com.

“The keeper in the second half (against Gillingham), Ross Kitteridge, is a young lad from Reading and he was nervous, you could tell.

“He won’t be playing (against Eastbourne), but we’ll keep an eye on him.”

Speaking about Smith, Hessenthaler added: “It doesn’t look like Darren will be coming back. We’re trying to get another keeper down for Tuesday night.

“We’ve got a reserve team though so we can call on them during the season if we need a keeper on the bench.”

Meanwhile, Kent League side Hythe Town, welcome Lewisham Borough to Reachfields Stadium on SUNDAY (3pm).

Paul Fisk’s side were due to travel to Ashford Borough 24-hours earlier, but that game had to be cancelled.