Kentish Football 
We'll give it everything that we've got, says Lydd Town boss Dave Smith
Both sides head towards Ashford United’s Homelands Stadium in a good run of form.
Lydd Town climbed into ninth-place in the Kent Invicta League table following their comfortable 4-0 win over Crockenhill on Good Friday, to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games.
The Lydders leapfrogged over their opponents, courtesy of second half goals from midfielder Mark Willis and an eighteen-minute hat-trick from striker Steve Harris.
Second-placed Hollands & Blair eased to a clinical 3-0 victory over nearby Sutton Athletic, courtesy of goals from Ricky Freeman, Louis Valencia and former Herne Bay midfielder Michael Jenner.
The Gillingham-based outfit are thirteen games unbeaten and are now only three points behind Phoenix Sports – who knocked Ashford United out of the title race with a 3-0 home win, courtesy of goals from Dan Parish, Marcos Perona and Dean Kearley – but Phoenix have two games in hand on Paul Piggott’s side.
Attention now turns to Monday’s showpiece final, with Hollands & Blair favourites as the two club’s aim to become only the second winners to lift the trophy.
“I imagine it will be a game where we’ll do a lot of defending, against a good, attacking side,” said former Bromley Green boss Smith.
“We’ll probably play more on the counter-attack with more of a defensive team to start off with and hopefully we’ll grow into the game as it goes – and keep them frustrated for as long as possible and go in at half-time 0-0. Then we’ll have a real chance.
“We’ll be looking to keep it nice and solid. We won’t be crazy but we’ll see how the game develops, pick out their strengths and their weaknesses and will develop something from there.”
Smith’s negative tactics has been forced on him by the League after he has been told that he cannot play numerous players because they weren’t signed on in time.
He said: “I’m expecting a really difficult game for lots of reasons. We will not be at our strongest. We’ll have four or five players that played on Friday not able to play, good players as well. We had to give people a run out on Friday, who will be involved in the final, so we’re probably missing five or six who I’d like to pick.”
Smith, who lives in Ashford, explained why he feels disappointed that the final is in his home town.
He said: “To be honest we’re all a little disappointed when it was Ashford, because last year it was at Welling. We’ve all played at Ashford because we play local football and play in Sunday cup finals loads of times.
“We’d like to travel to Welling. We would’ve liked to have gone somewhere different. It’s probably a little bit too local for us. Somewhere nice, something different for us would’ve been better.
“I used to play for Lydd for years and years but I’m Ashford based and a lot of the players are Ashford based so they’re families and friends will be there. We should have decent support and Hollands & Blair will have good support as well.
“It should be a good occasion. The pitch will be a lot better than what we played on at Crockenhill and we’ll try to play a bit of football as well. It will be interesting. It’s been in the wings now for a little while now so we’re all looking forward to it.”
Smith wants his side to give him everything as they bid to join Bly Spartans (now Rochester United) on the honours list.
He said: “We’ll go there, we’ve made the final, it’s something to be proud off. We’ll enjoy the day and whatever happens we’re capable of upsetting any side in this league on our day. Hopefully on Monday we’ll show how much we’ve progressed as a team.
“We’ll give it everything that we’ve got. As long as the team walk into the changing room afterwards sweating, knackered, gave it everything, win or lose I’ll be absolutely proud of them. That’s all I ask of them.”
Meanwhile, the final is being played with six League games taking place on the same day, which will surely decrease the chances of a larger gate.
“Last year there wasn’t a league programme and they played it on Good Friday,” said Smith.
“To be fair to the League there’s been such a fixture backlog, they probably had to play league games on Monday. Everyone’s got a backlog so you can understand why it’s been done. I’ve got no real gripes about that.”
Visit Lydd Town’s website: www.lyddtownfc.co.uk
Hollands & Blair v Lydd Town
Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy (Sponsored by Sandom Robinson) Final
Easter Monday 1 April 2013
Kick Off 2:00pm
at Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd