We finished in a false position, says Lordswood boss Jason Lillis

LORDSWOOD boss Jason Lillis says his side finished in a false position last season and that he is targeting a top-five position this term, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Medway outfit finished in thirteenth place (fourth-from-bottom) of the Kent League last season – and Lillis wants improvements this season.

They kick-off their Kent Hurlimann Football League campaign with an away game at Canterbury City next Saturday, before welcoming Tunbridge Wells to Martyn Grove on Tuesday, 16^th August.

Pre-Season has gone well for Lordswood, having played Chatham Town (4-2), Ramsgate (1-1), Cray Wanderers (1-1), Folkestone Invicta (0-2) and Swale United (2-0).

“We’ve gone really well,” said Lilis.  “We’ve all trained hard, results have gone really well for us.  We’ve had quite a successful pre-season really, so it’s good.”

When asked about his new players, Lillis replied, “As in what new guys?  Only the ones from last year really and Joe Kane’s the only one we’ve brought in really, he was at Herne Bay, the rest were all there last year.

“We’ve done well.  We’ve worked hard, we’ve all got things in place, so yes, the boys’ are raring to go.”

Canterbury City, who groundshare Herne Bay’s Winch’s Field ground at Stanley Gardens, make their return to Kent League football after working their way back up through the Kent County League since their reformation and they secured promotion after finishing runners-up to Hollands & Blair last season.

Lillis said: “Obviously they’re going to be enthusiastic being their first go in the league, their first game, so they’re going to be ready, up for the game.  I don’t know nothing about them.  I know a couple of their players’ but that’s about it.

“I’m more worried about what we do really than worry about any other team in the league, so we just have to be ready and enthusiastic and as ready as they will be – which I’m sure we will be.

“I think any manager at whatever level of football the first game is the important one to give yourselves a lift for the next game.  It’s always good to get off to a good performance and get three points on the board.”

Lillis wants to continue his side’s good form over Martin Larkin’s Tunbridge Wells’ players.

He said: “They finished sixth, but we beat them twice last year.  I know they’ve added a couple of new additions this year.  They’re always a tough side to play against – but so are we.

“I’m sure they will come nice and strong but we have to worry about what we do and if we do our things right, we should do alright this year.”

When asked about his aspirations for the new season, the former Gillingham ace said: “We finished thirteenth, but if we won the games we should have done, we would have finished sixth.  We lost to Sporting Bengal twice, Fisher, we lost to them away when we should have beaten them.  They are games we should have won. 

“I think we finished in a false position really, so hopefully our aspirations are to get in the top five.”

Visit Lordswood’s website: www.lordswoodfc.co.uk  

Canterbury City  v  Lordswood
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 13^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG