We just need to try and complete the job we’ve started, says Phoenix joint-boss Tony Beckingham

PHOENIX SPORTS have splashed out £14,000 on deposits to get their ground up to Kent League standard.



The club are nine points clear of Hollands & Blair at the top of the Kent Invicta League and haven’t lost any of their seventeen league games and joint-managers Steve O’Boyle and Tony Beckingham are destined to land the title in their first season in charge.

The Phoenix Sports board have recently paid a £10,000 cheque as a 25% deposit for floodlights and a £4,000 cheque as a 20% deposit for the covered seated stand at the club’s ground at Barnehurst.

“This is a massive commitment and statement of intent by Phoenix and it is now all hands to the pump to get the works completed by the deadline date of 31 March 2013,” said chairman Andy Mortlake.

“These are exciting times at Phoenix, the whole place is buzzing and we are now seeing all the development plans we had for the senior section turning into reality.

“These improvements will also benefit all the junior teams and players at the club and hopefully establish Phoenix as one of the biggest football clubs in the area.”

Phoenix Sports finished as league runners-up under Scott Saunders last season in both the inaugural Kent Invicta League and were defeated on penalties by Bly Spartans (who changed their name to Rochester United) in the inaugural Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy.

Only one player, Gary Phillimore has remained loyal to the club following the mass exodus and Beckingham is delighted with the season so far this time around.

“The season so far has gone very well for us,” said Beckingham.

“We couldn’t ever have expected to be in the position we’re in especially when you consider that we started pre-season with only one player from last year’s squad.

“The boys’ have gelled really well and I’d say that the team spirit is amongst the best that I’ve known.  They all seem to enjoy being part of what we’re trying to do and long may that continue.

“The players’ that have left have only done so because they were struggling for regular football or they’ve gone on to play Ryman League football.  I think that shows that there’s quite a bit of quality in this League especially amongst the top say half a dozen sides.”

Beckingham added: “Although we’re now in February, there’s still lots of games to go with all the postponements due to the weather.

“When we do start again it’ll almost be like starting the season from scratch. The lack of games will affect teams in different ways. Some will come back stronger and others will struggle. I suppose it’ll be down to what people have been doing in between times.

“Also if we don’t start playing soon then some clubs will be looking at three games per week late on which is a killer. That could have a massive bearing on final positions.

“We’d just like to try and carry on doing what we’ve been doing up to now and hopefully that will be enough to get us promoted.

“Hollands & Blair, Ashford and Bearsted will be doing their best to catch us as they all have the same aspirations and rightly so.”

Phoenix Sports welcome Hollands & Blair tomorrow in a mouth-watering game, for a place in this season’s Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy Final.

Beckingham said: “We played Hollands & Blair back in November which wasn’t that long ago and we thought they were a very good side.

“We ended up winning 3-2 after being 2-0 up but in fairness a draw would’ve been probably been about right on the balance of play.

“We are under no illusions, the game is going to be extremely tough and I expect a narrow victory for either side that may have to come after extra time.

“Cup finals are great occasions and both teams will want that to look forward to at the end of a long hard season.”

The former Holmesdale boss paid tribute to the men behind the scenes who are working tirelessly to bring Kent League football to the club next season.

He said: “What I would also add is that the committee are doing everything that they can off-the-field, the floodlights, stand and associated work should all be completed well before the ground grading deadline.

“I think it’s exciting times at Phoenix and there’s a real positivity and buzz around the place.  We just need to try and complete the job we’ve started.”

Hollands & Blair boss, Paul Piggott, meanwhile, wants to ensure Phoenix Sports end up with nothing come the end of the season.

Piggott led the Gillingham-based club to this stage of the Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy last season, but they lost on penalties away to eventual winners Bly Spartans.

He said: “All being well the game will be on due to the weather.

“It’ll be a cracking game, two good sides and a lot to lose in a semi-final.

“Phoenix is a good place to play football for anyone, let alone with the extra incentive of a final at the end of it.

“We went out on penalties last season at this stage and it still sticks in my throat.

“We are as prepared as ever for the game with everybody fit and hitting form so I’m looking forward to it.”

Blair have thirteen games remaining to claw back a nine point deficit on the league leaders.

Piggott said: “The League position is not looking too bad either.  Phoenix have got themselves in a good position but with a lot of games that will be crammed in towards the end of the season because of the amount of games being called off, there’s still plenty for Ashford, Bearsted and ourselves to fight for.

Fourth-placed Bearsted are seventeen points behind Phoenix Sports, but manager Tony Cornwell wants his side to take advantage of home comforts and book their place in the final.

The Bears welcome Lydd Town to Honey Lane tomorrow and Cornwell is looking forward to playing their first game since their 2-2 draw at Eltham Palace on 12 January.

He said: “The lads are looking forward to getting back to action this weekend after only playing three games in the past eight, due to the weather causing several postponements.

“Unfortunately we have also missed a number of training sessions due to our training venue also being unavailable, but we did have a good session on Tuesday night and a 45 minute practice match against our talented U18 Kent Youth League team.

“We have practically a full squad available for the home Cup semi-final against Lydd Town, with only John Taylor missing through injury.”

Bearsted celebrated back-to-back Kent County League titles between 2000 and 2002 and lost to Whitstable Town in the Kent Senior Trophy Final at Dartford’s Princes Park Stadium back in 2007.

Cornwell said: “The club has not won a trophy now for a number of seasons and although the League and promotion to the Kent League is the clubs major ambition, success in a cup competition is long overdue.

“Despite the lack of recent fixtures and regular training, we are confident with our current squad of players and the advantage of being drawn at our home venue that we can achieve success at the weekend and make it into the Cup final.”

The former Maidstone United coach added: “Lydd Town will be no easy pushover, however, as under their new management they have greatly improved and have obviously recruited additional players, and we will have to perform to a high level to overcome what will be difficult opponents.

“We are hoping that the rain experienced this week will not affect the game going ahead as we have a large number of fixtures remaining to complete with the majority of those at our home venue at Honey Lane, Otham.”

Cornwell wants his side to take advantage of home comforts for the remainder of their Kent Invicta League campaign.

He said: “In the League we have 14 more fixtures to play with 8 of those at home, and we currently sit in fourth position behind Phoenix Sports, Hollands & Blair and Ashford United.

“The League title at this stage on paper looks likely to go to Phoenix who have pulled away from the field, and second place looks likely to be closely contested between ourselves, Hollands & Blair and Ashford.

“However, we will continue to focus on our own performances and try to achieve the maximum points available and if we avoid injuries to key players I am confident we can achieve at least as a minimum a top four position.”

Cornwell revealed that only one side will gain promotion into the Kent League this season.

He said: “At this time only one team is allocated for promotion to the Kent League from the Kent Invicta League but with the Ryman League and the Kent League looking to increase their numbers over the next two seasons it still remains uncertain and unclear where these teams will be provided from. 

“Our club chairman and committee are working hard behind the scenes to get our home venue up to the required standards to gain promotion should we be successful on the field in obtaining a required position for possible selection.”

Lydd Town travel to Bearsted sitting in the bottom four in the Kent Invicta League table, with four wins and two draws from their fifteen league games.

Dave Smith, who clinched the Haart of Kent County League title whilst the manager of Ashford-based Bromley Green last season, took over as manager in the middle of November after Dave Johncock stood down through time constrains to run the team.

Lydd Town suffered a 5-2 home defeat at the hands of Sutton Athletic in their last game on 12 January, but Smith, whose two sons are heavily involved with the club, Liam is coach and Ryan is vice-captain and plays in the heart of defence, wants to spring a shock to reach the final.

“We are really looking forward to our semi-final at Bearsted on Saturday,” he said.

“Both sides will probably go into the game a bit rusty but Bearsted will definitely start as favourites.

“But I know that we have enough in our squad to win the game and progress to the final.

“Since I have taken over there has been many comings and goings with players but I am now getting near to the squad I want.

“My back room staff who stayed on when I took over of Darren Heales and Paul Egan have been excellent and we now have ambitious coach Liam Smith with us and I am really looking forward to a good second half of the season and I’m already getting plans together for next season.”

Despite having Lewisham Borough, Kent Football United and Meridian below them in the table, Smith wants to bring success to the club.

“The club’s aim is the Kent League and I want to be the person who takes them there, especially as I played for the club for many seasons in the past.”

The Lydders will be without Lloyd Taylor (suspended), Barrington Beaney (unavailable) and Matt Hadlum (cup-tied) tomorrow.

Visit Phoenix Sports’ website:  www.phoenixsportsclub.org

Visit Hollands & Blair’s website: www.hollandsandblair.co.uk

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

Visit Lydd Town’s website:  www.lyddtownfc.co.uk


Phoenix Sports  v  Hollands & Blair
Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy (Sponsored by Sandom Robinson) Semi-Final
Saturday 2^nd February 2013
Kick Off 1:30pm
At Phoenix Sports Ground, Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT

Bearsted  v  Lydd Town
Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy (Sponsored by Sandom Robinson) Semi-Final
Saturday 2^nd February 2013
Kick Off 1:30pm
at Otham Sports Club, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG