THE BIG KICK OFF: We must avoid opening day defeat, says Miles - EXCLUSIVE

Chatham Town manager Phil Miles believes his side can collect maximum points from their opening Ryman League Division One South match of the season on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Miles takes his side to Corinthian Casuals, the side that have finished in the relegation zone for the past two seasons, but have been reprieved from the drop on each occasion.

And this is just the game Chatham Town needs to get their campaign off to winning ways.

“On paper, over the last two years, statistics show Corinthian Casuals have finished in the bottom two,” Miles said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“So people from the outside looking in would say that on paper, we should beat them.

“But being the Chatham Town manager going away first game of the season, we’ll just try and not to get beat.

“We don’t want to get beat on the first day of the season, whether we were playing Dover away or Corinthians away.”

“I said it a bit last year, every point is a massive point in this league and I believe the league is as strong as ever.

“I know we’ve lost Maidstone and Dartford but it’s still a very strong league, especially with all the Kent connections, the Kent clubs in it.”

Last season, Chatham were too inconsistent for Miles liking, winning and playing well one game, losing and playing poorly, the next.

“I’ve still got most of the same squad as last year so I’m hoping with a season under their belts, they actually understand this season they can’t turn up one week and not the next,” explained Miles.

“We’ll have to see if that happens or not, only time will tell. If we play to the best of our ability and we become more consistent with some self belief that we’re not a bad side, I’m sure we’ll improve on last year’s position.”

Visit Chatham Town’s website: www.chathamtownfc.net

Corinthian-Casuals v Chatham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 18^th August 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At King George’s Field, Queen Mary Close, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6 7NA


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