We have to be in a position just in case Herne Bay wobble, says Erith Town boss Tony Russell

ERITH TOWN manager Tony Russell warns his players that he will wield the axe if they continue to fail to turn up for training sessions.



The Dockers may be in second place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League table with 37 points from 18 games – thirteen points adrift of Herne Bay – but they were knocked out of the Macron Kent League Cup on Monday night by Woodstock Sports.

Striker, Tyrus Gordon, 25, scored twice, taking his tall to four goals for the club since his move up two league’s from Haart of Kent County League Premier Division side Charlton Athletic (Community) and James Hawkins’ netted his fourth of the campaign as Erith Town lost 5-3 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate to Ben Taylor’s side.

Ultimately, The Dockers’ 1-0 lead from the first leg was not enough to progress into the semi-finals, as Woodstock join Corinthian, Herne Bay and VCD Athletic in Saturday’s draw.

It was Erith Town’s first defeat in ten games, but Russell admitted their recent run of form has papered over cracks at Erith Sports Stadium.

“We’ve been on such a good run, haven’t lost for so long, but it had been coming.  We were just fragile,” admitted Russell, who has brought in Ray Powell from neighbours Erith & Belvedere and is in the process of bringing a player back to the club from Folkestone Invicta.

Russell takes his side to Canterbury City on Saturday and he said: “To be honest with you, we can’t at this stage worry about anyone else.  If we play like that we won’t be able to win a game of football between now and the end of the season – let alone catch Herne Bay!

“We had a big chat before Monday’s game because I just thought the attitude has just started to change in the last couple of weeks.  No-one has been coming training and you usually work on patterns of play of every team we play and we haven’t been able to do that for the last couple of weeks.

“We just took a bit of a liberty because we were winning games and we thought we were better than what we were!

“I just said to them before the game it’s all stopping now.  If people aren’t turning up for training they are going to be released.  We’ll go back to the drawing board.

“We need to get back to performing at a level, get the new boys in training.  We’ll have to make a few changes.  I said to them you can’t put a performance in like that!

“We were equally as bad against Greenwich Borough (a goal-less draw) down here and we just got away with it. 

“It’s no good pushing panic buttons.

“We’ll now concentrate on our last 12 games and just try and get better, just be better than we were Monday night.”

Herne Bay suffered their first league defeat in 33 games (over a calendar year) when they lost 2-1 at VCD Athletic last Saturday.

Erith Town, Erith & Belvedere, Beckenham Town, Tunbridge Wells, VCD Athletic and Canterbury City are all within four points of one another and Russell admitted they need to put pressure on Herne Bay just in case they slip up during their last eleven league games.

Simon Halsey’s side are fighting on three fronts this season – league, FA Carlsberg Vase and Macron Kent League Cup – although clinching promotion into the Ryman League is the club’s number one priority.

Russell said: “Well, if you spoke to me a couple of weeks ago, I would fancy having a good go, having a push.

“I went to watch Tunbridge Wells last Saturday and they and Beckenham, VCD and Erith & Belvedere are good sides so it’s up to one of us to break out of the pack and try and breath down the neck (of Herne Bay) a little bit if they start to wobble.

“When you get so close year after year you just get a little bit close and they start to wobble, someone has to be in a position to take advantage.

“At the moment we’re all too far off them really to breath down their neck.  It’ll be interesting.  I hope one of us breaks out of the pack to make it interesting.  There’s no point in Herne Bay running away with it – maybe their luck is going to run out?”

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erthtown.co.uk

Canterbury City  v  Erith Town
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 4^th February 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG