Soccer Shorts: Wembley bound Fleet freeze their season ticket prices

MAIDSTONE UNITED boss Alan Walker is confident that he can keep the club in the Ryman Premier League.

The Stones are presently in the drop zone and have three games to retain their current status, staring with a trip to Harrow Borough.

“We now have three games remaining this season and we think that we need to win two out of three of these to stay in the Ryman Premier League but we are confident that this is achievable,” Walker told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk.

“The players were gutted after they were beaten by Ashford Town but we thought that we played well apart from the fact that we couldn’t convert the chances that we created.

“As a result, we have been spending time in training this week building up the confidence levels amongst the players.”

Nick Hegley is expected to feature at Earlsmead, having recovered from his ankle injury but midfielder Conor Hagan has returned to Ireland and Chris Smalling has been ruled out, having picked up an injury whilst on England Schoolboys duty.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA vice-chairman Jim Pallatt has this week issued a rallying cry to all of the club’s supporters to assist with the club’s fight for survival.

Invicta boss Neil Cugley said this week that his players must collect another seven points from their last five games to maintain their Ryman Premier League status.

Tomorrow’s Cheriton Road clash against East Thurrock United, who like Invicta are presently in the drop zone, is a must-win game for the Kent club.

And Mr Pallatt, speaking to www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk, said: “The business end of the season is upon us, and it is up to all of us, supporters, officials and players alike to get behind Neil and the team to carry us through.

“We all know what a huge difference a lot of noise and support can make to the atmosphere at home games, and boost the confidence of all the players, and particularly our young players who have worked so hard for us this season.

“Let's show them that we appreciate their efforts and give them that one push which is what we need to keep going at the tempo and with the style we know we are capable of.”

Mr Pallatt reminded fans that four of their last five games are on home soil - it’s in their own hands.

“Success is not down to a few, it is up to everyone,” he said. “We have a run of home games coming up at this pivotal point of the season, which can dramatically change our season and keep us in this division.

“The thought of local derbies next season and another chance to 'put one over' those around us is mouth-watering. So let's make sure we get there for that opportunity.

The cliche in football of "the crowd being the 12th man" is a cliche because it is so true. So come on lets get behind the lads, and will Neil and the team over the line.”

ASHFORD TOWN boss Steve Lovell reflects on two home victories and announces that he still hasn’t given up hope of reaching the play-off’s as he takes his side to Whitstable Town tomorrow, writes Sam Dixon.

The Nuts & Bolts made hard work of overcoming Leatherhead at Homelands last Saturday and Lovell feit it was certainly a game of two halves.

“In the first-half we were very good and in the second-half we were very poor,” Lovell told www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk.

“We should really have killed the game off early on but we didn’t and as the game went on Leatherhead got a bit more confident as we struggled.

“But saying that I was pleased with the three points because a few times this year we have played well and not got the result we deserved, so on this occasion it was just nice to win ugly.”

In contrasting encounters the Nuts and Bolts simply tore apart a talented Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday and Lovell was happy to see a glimpse of the future.

“I wholeheartedly thought it was an excellent performance,” he said. “Dulwich are a good, direct side who cause a lot of teams some problems. The lads can take great heart from that performance and really build on it now.”

“I have been saying it all along that if we get the right conditions then we can beat all the top sides in the division, which probably shows why our away form has been better.

“On Tuesday the pitch was in good shape, and no blustery conditions like there were against Whyteleafe and that meant we could play our football. We were excellent that it bodes well for the future.”

Wing-backs Mitchell Sherwood and Tony Browne weighed in with the goals and Lovell was delighted seeing his wide men getting into dangerous areas.

“In training we work really hard on the wingers, and getting them into goal-scoring positions, so I was very pleased that they finally got on the end of things.

“Tony Browne played well, Mitchell was excellent and I thought James Humphreys came in and done well. But saying that it was a great all-round team performance.”

Lovell still maintains that his troops can mathematically go up via the play offs albeit it being an extremely tough task reliant on Worthing amongst others slipping up.

He said: “I was having a look at it last night and we still have a slight chance and I will certainly not give up. If it comes down to the Worthing game on the last day of the season then I’m sure that would be a cracking encounter.”

KENT LEAGUE chair Denise Richmond has unveiled a new sponsor for the Kent League Cup final next month.

Highways and Utilities Construction Ltd (HAUC) have agreed to sponsor the Cup for this season initially and hope to develop their relationship with the League further.

“This is ideal timing in that the League Cup Final is a major showpiece game, the final game of the season and regularly attracts crowds which are far larger than those for League matches,” said Richmond in a statement issued on www.kentleague.com.

This year’s final is between Hythe Town and Erith Town at Folkestone Invicta’s Cheriton Road ground on Saturday, 3^rd May (3pm).

“For the League this is a particularly pleasing first step in their strategy to develop partners and sponsors across all aspects of the competitions,” added Richmond.

“In the past ten years it has supported the progression of such clubs as Folkestone Invicta, Tonbridge Angels, Sittingbourne, Chatham Town, Dartford, more recently, Cray Wanderers, Ramsgate, Maidstone United and Whitstable Town in their efforts to reach the higher levels of Non-League Football.”

SIMON JONES is stamping his authority on Sevenoaks Town.

Lordswood were thumped 6-0 at Greatness Park in midweek and the former reserve team manager admitted that his players were excellent.

Speaking to www.sevenoakstownfc.org Jones said: “I thought we were excellent tonight, we played with style, composure and patience, but most importantly we cut out the mistakes and we showed that we have a real cutting edge.

“The team has now shown what it is capable of and as such we should be able to go into the final games of the season with confidence, using this game as a springboard for the game against Croydon.”

Tomorrow’s hosts Croydon, meanwhile, have failed to win in their last sixteen games and have dropped into the bottom five as a consequence.

The Oaks, meanwhile, presently in tenth place in the Kent League table, are expected to enhance thier position under Jones next season.

Visit club websites:

www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk & www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk/forum

www.margate-fc.com

www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk

www.kentleague.com

www.sevenoakstownfc.org