We have to make sure we focus on the league now, says Beckenham Town boss Jason Huntley

BECKENHAM TOWN boss Jason Huntley says winning the Kent Hurlimann Football League is now his main priority, writes Stephen McCartney.



Beckenham were knocked out of The FA Cup by a workmanlike Worthing side in a Second Qualifying Round Replay at Eden Park Avenue last night.

Beckenham took a first half lead through a quality volley from central midfielder Nick Curran, but Huntley was disappointed with his side’s second half performance as the Ryman League Division One South side fought back and progressed into the Third Qualifying Round courtesy of second half goals from Darren Budd and Ryan McBride.

Beckenham continue their run in the Cups when they travel to Kent Invicta League side Bearsted in the Umbro Kent Senior Trophy on Saturday, before welcoming Cray Valley (Paper Mills) to Eden Park Avenue in the Kent League on 15 October, before going to Three Bridges in the FA Carlsberg Vase seven days later.

Beckenham then travel to Oakley Road to face Greenwich Borough on 29 October, which will mean by the end of the month, Huntley’s side would have played eight league games.

“I want to start getting some league games in to be fair,” said Huntley.

“We need to start getting back in the league programme.   The most important thing for us is the league.  Obviously with the FA Cup run we’ve had we’ve not played a league game for a long time.  We played Corinthian but we’ve not played in the league on a regular basis so we want to get back into that.”

Huntley has explained what the club will be doing to get their Eden Park Avenue ground up to Ryman League standard.

“We’ve got those little stands we got from Fisher (Salters Road), we’ve got another eight coming, which I think the idea is where the foundations are laid there will be a full length roof and we’re sorting out the seating areas out in between so that’s all in hand at the moment.”

Looking ahead to their trip to face Tony Cornwell’s Bearsted on Saturday, Huntley revealed he will give his fringe players a run out.

“It will be tough!  It’s like a Cup final for them so we have to regroup and get back into the habit of winning,” said Huntley.

“We’ve got a big game on Saturday, all games are big for us.  The run we’ve been on lately everyone’s there to beat you now so we’ve got to regroup. 

“A lot of the boys who ain’t been playing will be starting that game.  I’m not saying we’re taking it lightly but we need the other boys to get games in as well.”

Beckenham are presently in ninth place in the table, fifteen points behind leaders Herne Bay, but with three games in hand.

Huntley said: “We’ve got to get our heads right now and get on now because we want to win this league but we’re a million miles away from doing that at the moment, I must admit because of the games and if you let someone like Herne Bay have a lead, which they’ve got, they’re a hard team to get back because they don’t drop too many points.  We have to make sure we focus on the league now.”

Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk  

Bearsted  v  Beckenham Town
Umbro Kent Senior Trophy First Round
Saturday 8^th October 2011
Kick Off 2:00pm
at Otham Sports Club, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG