We certainly can't afford to lose to Phoenix Sports, admits Bearsted boss Tony Cornwell

BEARSTED manager Tony Cornwell says it’s important not to lose to unbeaten league leaders Phoenix Sports on Saturday.



The Bears travel to Barnehurst sitting in second place in the Kent Invicta League table, but they are six points adrift of Phoenix Sports, who have a game in hand.

The two sides met each other at Honey Lane back on 25 August and the Bearsted boss was disappointed that his side threw away the three points in a 4-4 draw.

“We’ve played them once at home, I thought we were a little unlucky not to win at home,” said Cornwell.  “We lost our goalkeeper midway through the first half with a dislocated thumb. We played on and ended up with a 4-4 draw.

“But to be fair we were in control at 3-0 and 4-2 during the course of the game.”

Bearsted are the only side to avoid defeat against Phoenix Sports in fifteen games played by the Barnehurst outfit this season.

Cornwell said: “They’re a tough side. We’re the ones who have taken any points off them. So far they’ve only dropped two points.

“I’m expecting a very tough game to be fair.  With the points that we’ve dropped, losing three games and drawing one, we really need to get a victory. We certainly can’t afford to lose the game.  Three points are very important for us really. It’s almost become a six-pointer game now.”

Bearsted, like Phoenix Sports, have a potent strike force, but seventeen-goal striker Miles Cornwell has been ruled out of Saturday’s game with an ankle injury.

“We’ve done very well, especially at home. We seem to be banging in goals for fun at home. 

“To be fair I’ve had a few injuries during the course of the first ten games so we have still got three or four out now, including my lad (Miles) who is also dual signed with Chatham as well at the moment.”

There are four sides (Phoenix Sports, Bearsted, Hollands & Blair and Ashford United) who are gunning for the Kent Invicta League title this season.

Bearsted must win on Saturday to keep their title hopes alive.

“It would appear that way,” admitted Cornwell.  “Although Phoenix haven’t played Ashford yet. In my mind I thought to myself in pre-season there would be four teams challenging, who are Phoenix, ourselves, Ashford and Hollands & Blair.

“All those games when those teams will play one another, Phoenix have got to play Ashford twice, Hollands & Blair at least once and us once. There are points to be won and lost still.

“It’s a massive game. As I say, to be fair there are teams in the league who will take points off us at the end of the day.  On their day there’s some good sides in that league. It’s a good standard.

“To be fair, the games against the top four or five teams become six point games and you just really can’t afford to lose them.

“It’s still unknown how many teams actually will get promoted at the end of the year. There was talk there was only going to be one, or it’s possibly two.  I know the Kent League want more teams in their structure so we’re one of the teams that want to be in that division.

“The chairman (Duncan Andrews) has got aspirations for us to be a Kent League side and I’m managing the side with that intention.”

Visit Bearsted’s website: www.bearstedfc.co.uk

Phoenix Sports  v  Bearsted
Kent Invicta League
Saturday 17^th November 2012
Kick Off 2:00pm
At Phoenix Sports Club, Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT