Soccer Shorts: Whitstable players' offer to pay fans' admission after unacceptable away display

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ASHFORD UNITED have bolstered their striking ranks with the signing of Damian Abel.

Abel has enjoyed spells at Ryman League sides Folkestone Invicta, Ramsgate, Whitstable Town, Hythe Town and Faversham Town and arrives at Homelands following the departure of Richard Quigley, who has joined Lydd Town.

Boss Paul Chambers told www.ashfordunited.co.uk: “He’s played at a good level and he will be a good signing for us. He’ll fit in very well.

“We wanted to sign a forward and we’ve got one after we let Richard Quigley go to Lydd.”

Abel is expected to start up front for Ashford United when they host Lewisham Borough at Homelands on Saturday (3pm). Ashford follow that with a trip to Woodstock Park on Wednesday night (7.45pm).

Chambers’ side fired blanks in a goalless draw with Sutton Athletic on Saturday, a result the boss was disappointed with.

Chambers said: “Their keeper made some great saves but Tak [Mo Takaloo] should have had a hat-trick.

“We could be still there now and we wouldn’t have scored.

“I really don’t know why it didn’t happen for us. We didn’t play like we have done.

“Yes, they were difficult conditions but we have no excuses. It was the same for both sides. We should have done better and we didn't.

“It was one of those days where everyone went through the motions. People were waiting for other people to make something happen without taking the responsibility in doing it themselves.”

Title favourites Phoenix Sports won to extend their lead at the top of the Kent Invicta League to nine points. They also have a game in hand.

Second-placed Hollands & Blair slipped up as they surrendered a two-goal to draw 2-2 with Lydd.

Goalkeeper Joe Mant, who has been crucial to a run of four cleansheets in a row, will be unavailable for the next few weeks.

Chambers explained: “We’re looking to sort out a replacement. He’s got a semi-final for Kent and then he’s going out to play football in America for a bit.

“Getting another cleansheet was the pleasing thing against Sutton – but we still should have won the game.”


CRAY WANDERERS are inviting concerned supporters to a question-and-answer forum with chairman Gary Hillman and manager Ian Jenkins following their home game against Leiston at Hayes Lane on Sunday.

”This meeting is open to all and is an opportunity to air your views and get up to date information on the club,” said a club statement.


DOVER ATHLETIC winger Ricky Modeste, 24, says his club can clinch automatic promotion out of Blue Square Bet (Conference) South at the end of the season.

The Whites are in third-place in the table, with 50 points from 20 games and welcome Bath City to Crabble tomorrow, sitting eleven points behind leaders Welling United.

”The league is so weird, teams like Sutton, Dorchester and Eastleigh that were near the bottom now find themselves right up there after winning a few games,” the Dagenham-based former Chelmsford City winger told www.doverathletic.com.  

He added: “All the top teams still need to play each other and if we keep winning games we can still go up automatically.

”It would be outrageous if we did not at least make the play-offs as we have been in there all season, but you never know with this league, anything can happen.”

Modeste, who works in accounts telesales, says he wants to play at the highest level he possibly can and is keen to do so with Dover Athletic.

He added: “AFC Wimbledon and Dagenham & Redbridge have done well in recent years and I see no reason why Dover can’t go from league to league.”

FAVERSHAM TOWN extended their unbeaten run to six games after Renford Tenyue scored their goal during their 1-1 home draw to Ramsgate in midweek.  The Lilywhites are in third-place in the Ryman League Division One South table with 57 points from 31 games, five points behind leaders Maidstone United, who have a game in hand on Ray Turner’s side.
 
FISHER were proud to support  the Football vs Homophobia (FvH) campaign at their home match against Whyteleafe last week.

FvH is endorsed and supported by The FA, The Football League and the LMA. Year round, FvH enables people to take action against prejudice and discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity in football, and to celebrate and welcome diversity in the game.

A club statement, published on www.fisherfc.co.uk said: “At Fisher, we are committed to promoting equality and to running a community football club that is truly welcoming to everybody. To mark February’s FvH month, we were delighted to be welcome representatives of Stonewall FC – the first gay football club in England – to the match as our guests, and we have extended an invite to other community and footballing LGBT groups to attend the game too.

”At Fisher we’re happy to try and play a small part in ensuring that football is for everyone."

On the pitch for the Fish, Billy Walton and Martin Ford are still working hard to try and get results back on track and to strengthen the squad, particularly in attacking areas.

Fisher will be without Sam Friskey, is halfway through his three-match ban for tomorrow's home game against Kent League leaders Erith & Belvedere.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley has clinched the signing of Chatham Town’s current player-of-the-year, Matt Newman, 24.

The six-footer can play anywhere across midfield or at the back.  As ever, money in incredibly tight at Cheriton Road and Newman has signed initially on a short-term deal to see how the move works out for both parties.

Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk: “He was recommended to me some time ago by (former player) Lee Gledhill and (Chatham Town manager) Kevin Watson spoke to me about him again recently.

”His versatility should be a major benefit to us over the closing stages of this season. He lives up Chatham way, but a bonus is that he works in Folkestone most of the time.”

Phil Stevenson starts a three-match ban following his red card in the 2-0 win over Leatherhead a fortnight ago and misses the trip to Worthing tomorrow.

Reflecting on the goal-less draw at home to Sittingbourne on Wednesday night, Cugley said: “The effort was brilliant – as it always is.  We lacked that little bit of composure we needed to get in behind them in the final 20 minutes or so, but that’s what you sometimes get with younger players.

”Now we’re really looking forward to the Worthing game. They are very similar to us in a lot of ways. It’s a proper stadium and a proper football club.

”We’ve had them watched – they play good football and so do we so it should prove an entertaining game.”

Eleventh-placed Worthing, who have a zero goal-difference having scored 60 and conceded 60, have 43 points from 32 games overall compared to seventh-placed Folkestone Invicta’s 48 from 30 matches. 

MAIDSTONE UNITED will stage this season’s Ryman League Cup Final when Concord Rangers face Gavin Rose’s Dulwich Hamlet.  The game will take place on Tuesday 9 April with a 7:30pm kick-off. 

The £2.9millon stadium opened on 14 July last year.  The aggregate attendance for all Maidstone United first team matches (including friendlies) has now topped 40,000 with six more home games to play this season.

PHOENIX SPORTS have confirmed that work continues on their ground improvements, with the car park being improved.  The club switched on their floodlights for the first time this evening.  This will ensure that the Barnehust based club meet Kent League criteria should they clinch the Kent Invicta League title at the end of the season.

WELLING UNITED have returned to the top of the Blue Square Bet South table after Salisbury City was recently charged by the Football Conference for fielding an ineligible (unregistered) player in its match against AFC Hornchurch on 12 January.

A statement issued by The Football Conference said: “The documents renewing the loan of Elliot Frear were not received by the Competition Office prior to the player being fielded in the above match.

”The Club requested, and received a Personal Hearing, and upon the Club's own admission Salisbury City FC was found guilty of a breach of rule 6.9, fined £100.00 and had one point deducted from its League Table score.

”The Club has confirmed it received a fair and equitable Hearing and will not be appealing the Board's decision. One point will, therefore, immediately be deducted from the Club's score.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Day has unveiled the signing of former Ebbsfleet United midfielder Giannoulis Fakinos, 23.

The Greek midfielder has previously been with Olympiacos, Panionious, Ilioupoli and Appollon Smyrni in his home country.

He can play in either defensive or attacking midfield positions.

WHITSTABLE TOWN’S players have apologised to supporters who traveled to see their 4-0 defeat at Corinthian-Casuals last weekend – and have offered to pay their admission for tomorrow’s home game against Leatherhead.

”On behalf of Nicky (Southall), Richard (Langley) and the players, all traveling supporters whom made the journey to Corinthian-Casuals on Saturday will be admitted to the Leatherhead home game on Saturday free of charge, as a gesture from the management and players whom will pay your entrance fee as a result of the unacceptable display on Saturday, ” said chairman Gary Johnson on the club's website www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk.

”Nicky, the management and players would like to apologise for what you observed; your continued support and the noise which you create is very much appreciated.”