The FA Cup is a competition we want to stay in for as long as we possibly can, says Martin Ford

The newly-promoted Deres suffered two defeats over the Bank Holiday weekend, going down 4-0 at home to Chatham Town before crashing to a 6-2 defeat away to high-flying VCD Athletic two days later.

Erith & Belvedere find themselves in seventeenth-place in the Ryman League Division One North table, having picked up two wins and a draw in their opening six outings.

When asked to reflect on his side’s start to their new surroundings, Ford said: “A bit up and down really, if I’m honest with you. We got off to a good start.

“I felt we got punished at the weekend because we didn’t have our regular keeper in goal. I think both outcomes of the game might have been different if we had a recognised keeper in goal.

“Apart from that I’m satisfied with the start of the season.”

Ade Adeniyi was thrown in at the deep end in goal after Jack Bradshaw opted to leave the club to sign for Saturday’s FA Cup Preliminary Round opponents Chatham Town.

Bradshaw – and defender George Benner – were the only players to remain faithful with Kent League double winners Erith & Belvedere after Micky Collins, his management team and squad quit the club – but Ford is disappointed that Bradshaw has also decided to jump ship.

Ford said: “Very disappointed. I worked very hard to get Jack into the club pre-season. He was only one of two players who remained from last year.  We didn’t have the wage budget or the resources to keep the majority of them but we done a deal with Jack, which we though was an attractive deal.

“He didn’t play at the weekend, he was away. It would have been nice to know that so I could have got a goalkeeper in for the weekend’s two games, but it’s very hard to get a goalkeeper for one game.

“I was hopeful when Jack came back from his holiday he’d be back in the starting line-up against Chatham.  While he was away we had a seven-day approach from Chatham and rightly so, they can do whatever they want (because he’s not on contract).

“But it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth, the way the deal’s been done.

“We’ve got to move on. I’m talking to some good goalkeepers at the moment.  I’m hoping to have one on board on Saturday and one to come in long-term.

“I’ve got a few goalkeepers who I’ve been offered on loan, so hopefully we will have a good goalkeeper between the sticks on Saturday and that will make a massive difference to us.

“No disrespect to the goalkeeper that’s played, but we just need a more experienced keeper in goal. We shipped ten goals in at the weekend in two games.

“At the end of the day, a goalkeeper is one of the most important players in the team. If you get a good goalkeeper it’s worth a few goals a year.”

Ford insists his side will not crash to another heavy defeat when they lock horns with Kevin Watson’s side again in The FA Cup again.

He said: “I think we’ll be more or less back to full strength again this weekend. I think George Benner is back fit and Jack Bradshaw has been transferred to Chatham so he will making a quick return back to us.

“We had a new keeper making his debut last Saturday so I think it will be a more even game than it was last time. We made some dreadful mistakes last time in defensive areas.

“We had some new lads which were maybe not up to Ryman League standard, but we’re a new club and I’m for giving players a chance. I feel after ten games it will settle down a little bit more and we know what lads are up to Ryman standard and what lads aren’t up to Ryman League standards. It’s down to me and Chris (Cosgrove) to address that and bring in players that we feel are better than the ones that we’ve got.”

Ford admitted that it’s very difficult for the same team to replicate their victory a second time within a week – especially being a FA Cup Preliminary Round tie with £1,925 up for grabs for the winner.

He said: “The FA Cup is always nice. It’s nice for the clubs, especially my chairman John (McFadden), who will probably be looking forward to two thousand coming into the bank if we can win on Saturday.

“From my point of view it’s a special competition and a competition we want to stay in for as long as we possibly can. It generates a lot of publicity and also generates a few grand to the club which can go a long way at clubs in our standard of football.

“We’ve got a team in our own league, a game that we’re looking to win and another home game on top of that. It’s one of those games I’m quietly confident we can do well.

“I can assure everybody the result won’t be the same as Saturday. We’ll be well prepared for Chatham this time and it’s one we’re looking forward to.”

Ford added: “It didn’t come out of the hat that great. Ideally we wouldn’t want to be playing Chatham Town two weeks’ running. You know yourself Chatham can look at it two ways. Chatham came to our place and deservedly beat us 4-1 on the day and they’ll be confident that they can come back down to Park View Road and beat us again.”

Meanwhile, Erith & Belvedere welcome League One club Gillingham to Park View Road next Wednesday, 4 September 2013 (7:45pm) to contest a Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com First Round tie – if Saturday’s FA Cup tie isn’t drawn.

“It’s a fantastic draw for us,” said Ford.  “Gillingham at home, you couldn’t wish for a better draw. 

“We’re under no illusions that Gillingham probably won’t send their first team down but I should imagine they’ll be a mixture of lads who didn’t play the night before or a mixture of their Academy side and their reserves hopefully so I’m quite certain whatever side they put out it will be a very, very hard test for us.

“It will be nice to see the ground with a few people in there. If we can get a crowd of 200, which I’m confident we will do of a game of that magnitude. It’s a game that everyone is looking forward to I’m sure. I know the lads are.

“We’ve got two great games coming up in The FA Cup and to look forward to bringing Gillingham down to Park View Road is great for our little football club.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithbelvederefc.co.uk

Erith & Belvedere  v  Chatham Town
The FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round
Saturday 31^st August 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY