To stay up is massive for the club and its supporters and nobody in the dressing room want to see VCD Athletic step down to Step Five football, says VCD Athletic assistant manager Dean Harrison

VCD ATHLETIC assistant manager Dean Harrison says The Football Association needed to give teams that are involved in Saturday’s winner-takes-all Inter-League Play-Offs more time to prepare.

The Football Association were supposed to announce the fixtures last Sunday but only released details at six o’clock yesterday evening.

The Vickers must beat their next-door neighbours Phoenix Sports to retain their Isthmian League South East division status.

Michael Power’s side completed their 38-match campaign in the bottom-four, picking up 38 points from as many games, with Burgess Hill Town escaping on 39 points, courtesy of a final day goal-less draw at home to Beckenham Town.

Beckenham Town lost 1-0 at Whitehawk in the play-offs on Tuesday night and Whitehawk face Steven Watt’s Hythe Town in Friday night’s winner-takes-all Final.

Steve O’Boyle’s Phoenix Sports make the 11 minute walk to Oakwood as favourites to return to the Isthmian League at the first attempt after suffering relegation last season.

Finishing in second-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table on 81 points from 38 games, O’Boyle’s men finished two points behind champions Erith & Belvedere and picked up one more point than Steve King’s Deal Town in an exciting title race.

There is more than local bragging rights at stake at Oakwood on Saturday.

“We’ve been very unfortunate with quite a few of the results,” said Harrison, who has been with the club for their last eight league games, picking up seven points.

“We’ve had little time to implement our style and philosophy so we’ve done it the best we can.  The boys have responded and they’ve shown great attitudes and we’ve been quite unlucky with some of the results.

“Apart from the Sittingbourne game where we conceded two in the last five minutes and lost 3-1, we’ve lost by a goal here and there to the top sides.  Sheppey was 1-0, we missed a penalty. Cray Valley we lost 2-1 and they scored in the 99^th minute, it’s been quite unfortunate to be honest.”

There will be no extra time if scores are level after 90 minutes – staying up or going down could come down to penalties.

“It’s a cup final, it’s winner-takes-all,” acknowledged Harrison, the former Fisher and Bermondsey Town manager.

“To draw Phoenix is probably the biggest draw that we could have got as a club, obviously our local derby, so it’s going to be a very, very tough game and Phoenix who finished second are used to winning, they’ll be on a winning streak.

“They’ve had a good season and we’ve had a tough season and we’ve got to try to lift the lads and Phoenix will have the momentum on Saturday.

“It’s an interesting one. We’ve got training tonight so we’ll probably throw a few penalties in.  We don’t want it to go to penalties. It’s quite surprising there’s no extra time, to not have extra time in a game of that magnitude and go straight to penalties, I think it’s an interesting decision."

All of the 26 managers who are taking part in these play-offs will be concerned with the lack of preparation time, not knowing which sides they will be facing until Wednesday evening.

Harrison said: “It’s a tough one.  You’ve got to get your prep in quickly, now we’ve got two days. We’ve got tonight to prepare in training and then we’ll do our homework and find out what we can about Phoenix and I’m sure they’ll do the same about us.

“It’s really short notice for a game of this magnitude. I think there’s got to be a better way of doing that so teams can find out earlier.”

Harrison was then asked what it would mean for the club to retain their Isthmian League status – or suffer relegation and end their 10 year stay (two of which were spent in the Isthmian Premier Division).

“To stay up is obviously massive for the club and its supporters and that’s what we’ll be trying to do,” insisted Harrison.

“There’s nobody in the dressing room or at the club who want to see VCD step down to Step Five football so that’s what we’ll be working towards on Saturday and hopefully we get that win.

“If it does happen (relegation), then it’s a re-build. It’s a tough one and it will be hard to take and I’m sure the club will be looking to bounce back next season and get straight back.”

When asked about team-news for the club’s make-or-break game, Harrison naturally replied, “I can’t tell you that, in case you print it.”

Saturday's Step Four/Five Inter-Step Play-Off Results:

Step Four sides were at home and only four of them managed to retain their currrent status.

Bristol Manor Farm  2-0  Saltash United
Highworth Town  1-4  Malvern Town
VCD Athletic  0-1  Phoenix Sports
Sutton Common Rovers  2-0  Crawley Down Gatwick
Merstham  3-1  Egham Town
Haywards Heath Town  2-3  Redbridge
Lincoln United  1-2  Avro
Glossop North End  0-3  Ashington
Dereham Town  0-2  Stotfold
St Neots Town  1-6  Lye Town
Coggeshall Town  1-2  Winterton Rangers
Great Wakering Rovers  0-5  Quorn
Barton Rovers  2-0  Thetford Town

Bemerton Heath Harlequins, Badshot Lea and Rugby Town, meanwhile, finished in second-place in their divisions and have been automatically promoted on Points Per Game.

VCD Athletic  v  Phoenix Sports
Step Four/Five Inter-Step Play-Off
Saturday 29 April 2023
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN