Soccer Shorts: Margate's future looks bleak

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MARGATE’S future looks bleak as Margate Football Club Ltd face another winding up petition served by HM Revenue and Customs.

A concerned Blues supporter posted details on the club’s unofficial fans’ forum, saying that the notice was published a couple of days ago and that a petition to wind up the company will be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London on Tuesday, 30^th September at 10:30am.

A brief statement issued by the Ryman Premier League club on www.margate-fc.com said: “Margate Football Club Ltd has been served with another winding up petition by HM Revenue and Customs. This second petition relates to the same monies owing from the previous CVA.

“The club is investigating a number of possible avenues and will report more as soon as decisions are made.”

Back on the pitch, thing’s aren’t going too well either with Barry Ashby’s side currently in the relegation zone and have already been dumped out of the FA Cup, losing 5-1 at lower league Worthing.

The Thanet side travel to Ashford Town (Middlesex) tomorrow and Ashby hopes to have Roberto Corbishley, Louis Smith and Michael Power back to full fitness. Jack Parkinson’s suspension, meanwhile, starts on Tuesday.

EBBSFLEET UNITED - the current holders of the FA Carlsberg Trophy - will be displaying the silverware that they won at Wembley Stadium on Monday.

It will be put on display in Specsavers, Thames Gateway Shopping Centre, Gravesend, along with two members of the squad, between 1pm-3pm.

The Blue Square Premier club has joined with their latest corporate sponsors - Specsavers of Gravesend - to show off the Trophy to the local community, which will also give the Stonebridge Road club the opportunity to promote their home game against Eastbourne Borough the following night.

Fleet fans and the local community will have the opportunity to have a picture taken with the players as well as with the Trophy.

WELLING UNITED, who welcome Worcester City to Park View Road tomorrow - a game being covered for this website by Mike Green - have confirmed that Chris Nurse has joined the club. The 24-year-old central midfielder has previously played for higher league clubs Stevenage Borough and Aldershot Town.

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman was pleased that his side booked a home tie against Blue Square South side Hampton & Richmond Borough in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup last weekend.

The Darts knocked out their fellow Ryman Premier League rivals Hastings United and will welcome the Beavers to Princes Park next Saturday.

And Burman, speaking to www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk, said: “It’s taken some time, but it was nice to get our first home win under the belt.

"I felt we were the better side on the day and deserved to progress to the next round of the competition.”

Burman was, however, concerned with the players available to him for the Cup tie.

“With James White (groin) and Richard Ketchell (ankle) picking up injuries, I wondered if anything else could go wrong.

“By Saturday lunchtime it was quite clear that we were only going to have ten fully fit outfield players and a seventeen-year-old in goal.”

Speaking about Daren Ibrahim, who made his Dartford debut, replacing the injured Tony Kessell, Burman said: “I decided to play Daren after talking to all my coaching staff as he could be the first of many who come through the ever improving academy scheme we have been running at the club in conjunction with the North West Kent College.

“I felt he had a very good debut and yes, he could have done better for the first goal, but overall his performance was excellent."

Ibrahim, meanwhile, is one of five players to be nominated for player-of-the-yound and to vote for for him, visit: www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2008/04/EONPOTR_FirstRoundQualifying.htm

Burman continued: “Even through we conceded two goals from free-kicks, I felt the back four on the day defended well in open play against two forwards with Conference experience.

“After taking the lead and playing some good football throughout the first half, we could not believe we came in at half-time 2-1 down.

“At half-time we just said to the players to keep playing the way they have been and things will change.

“Full credit must go to all the players because it would have been easy for their heads to drop, but that was not on the agenda as they got back on level terms early in the second half and took the deserved lead shortly after.

“We are not going to paper over any cracks, but it was a nice feeling to win the game. Winning games breeds confidence, which I hope we can take into the next game.”

That game is against seventh placed Horsham at Princes Park tomorrow.

Recent signing Jamie Day joins Ketchell and Alex O’Brien on the sidelines, but Burman was pleased with his side’s preparation for the game.

“With no game in midweek it has given a chance to get in a couple of good training sessions and also gives the players who have been injured more time to recover,” explained Burman.

“I hope I can select the team for tomorrow’s game from a stronger squad than last week.

“It was good to get a Cup win under our belt, but it would be even better to add more points to our total against a good side who many people tip to win the league.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED travel to Harrow Borough tomorrow, before locking horns with Dartford at Bourne Park on Tuesday night.

Jay Saunders will be suspended following his red-card against Tonbridge Angels two weeks ago and he will sit out the match against the Darts.

Also missing is Kevin Watson, who suffered an ankle injury late on in the game against Tooting & Mitcham United.

Watson’s ankle was enormous and was a black colour by the start of the week, but despite responding well to treatment, he won’t make the team tomorrow.

Fortunately, both Elliot Bradbrook and Nathan Paul are fit. Bradbrook suffered a blow to his side against Tooting and Paul has been feeling the effects of a stomach injury, which was causing him pain last week. But he has also undergone treatment in the week and has been training so is expected to be fine.

Meanwhile, joint-manager Alan Walker explained the reasons behind James Peacock joining Ryman League Division One South side Sittingbourne on loan.

“We think that James will be a very good player for us, but at the moment he needs to get some games under his belt,” Walker told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk.

“We have had a fine start to the season and as a result the team has been very settled, which has made it hard for some of the players on the fringes of the side.”

The forth placed Stones travel to Earlsmead with the hosts having only troubled Heybridge Swifts below them in the Ryman Premier League table.

And Walker said: “We travel to Harrow Borough who have not had the best of starts to the season.

“You could say that on paper this is a game that we really should win, but paper is there to be burnt.

“I know what David Howell and Ken Charlery were like as players and I know they will make sure their team will prove to be very tough opposition.”

DESPITE his side underperforming in the bottom five of the Bulmers Cider Kent League table after eight games, Beckenham Town boss Jason Huntley has been a very busy man in the transfer market.

Amongst those arriving at Eden Park Avenue is midfielder Jeremy Lynch from Fisher Athletic, whose ball juggling skills thrilled the nation’s TV audience in “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Lynch will make his debut against VCD Athletic at Eden Park Avenue tomorrow, alongside defender Alex Bentley, 18 - a local player and Crystal Palace trainee goalkeeper Martin Jacobs.

Nippy striker Lewis Wood has signed for his third club this season - Croydon.

But Beckenham’s biggest signing is Hamid Barr, who arrives from Ryman Premier League side Carshalton Athletic.

In Barr’s second spell with Tonbridge Angels last season, his departing gift was scoring the only goal to knock Blue Square Premier giants Oxford United out of the FA Trophy last season.

Meanwhile, Beckenham will travel to the Mile End Stadium to play Sporting Bengal United next Wednesday, 24^th September (7:30pm).

ERITH TOWN were saddened to hear the news of the passing of their former physic Bill Gallagher, who passed away due to pneumonia earlier in the month.

Mr Gallagher was well known at Erith Town but was best known locally for many years of loyal service to Charlton Athletic.

He joined the Addicks as a youth team physic in 1977 and took on the first-team role a year later. He joined the clubs staff on a full-time basis in December 1981 before leaving nine years later.

His previous non-league clubs include Dartford and Greenwich Borough.

The funeral will take place at Eltham Crematorium on Friday, 26^th September at 11:15am.

HOLMESDALE coach Hugo Langton has warned that Herne Bay’s record transfer signing, striker Stuart King could end their unbeaten run in the Bulmers Cider Kent League tomorrow.

Both sides go into the Oakley Road clash unbeaten, but despite leading the table after six games, Langton knows King could prove to be the difference.

Herne Bay broke their transfer record to bring the striker to Winch’s Field from Ryman Premier League side Ramsgate.

And Langton, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  earlier today, said: “Herne Bay are a terrific side and it’s no secret they have spent a few quid and they have even paid a fee for a player, which is a different world to us.

“Their expectations are different to ours. We do have a good group of players who will give their all for each other and that’s all what we ask for.”

The former Rusthall manager added: “We may be top of the league but there is no pressure on us to stay there.”

Visit club websites:

www.margate-fc.com

www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

www.wellingunited.com

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

www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk

www.erithtownfc.co.uk

www.holmesdalefc.co.uk