We'll try to make Bourne Park our fortress, says Milton & Fulston boss Aaron Perry

MILTON & FULSTON UNITED and Bexlians have agreed to donate the gate receipts of their Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield tie on Saturday to the Justice for Carl Davies appeal.

The two Haart of Kent County League Division One sides meet each other at Sittingbourne’s Bourne Park ground in the quarter-finals in a bid to raise funds for Davies’ family.

The Foreign Office originally told the family of 33-year-old ex-Royal Marine Carl – a former student at Borden Grammar – that he died in a fall on the French island of Reunion on 9 November – which was not being treated as suspicious.

But eight days later, the family learned a murder investigation had been launched following an autopsy which discovered stab wounds on his body.
Milton & Fulston United’s current manager Aaron Perry says charity begins at home.

He said: “Carl used to be involved in Milton & Fulston about two or three seasons ago.

“Carl was a schoolteacher based in Sittingbourne and he was on a school trip and he’s body was found at the bottom of a cliff, which we believe they said was a tragic fall and further down the line they found out there were marks on his body, stab wounds, but there was more of it.

“A lot of stuff has been covered up,” he claimed, “and his family is trying to get answers and it’s cost them thousands in legal fees and we want to raise money towards it by giving them the gate receipts.

“We’re charging two quid on the day to go in and it’s all going to Justice for Carl.

“I feel reading the story it’s the least we can do and it’s an opportunity for people to come and watch us as well and see what’s on show for themselves.”

Milton & Fulston United go into the Quarter-Final tie sitting in fourth-place in the table, with 20 points from 12 games.

Danny Hill’s Bexlians’ side, however, arrive at Bourne Park sitting in third-place of a fourteen team division, with 22 points at the halfway mark and are two points behind leaders Malgo.

When asked what kind of game he is expecting, Perry said: “I’m expecting it to be tough. I think it’s going to be hard. We played them on the first day of the season and of the sixteen that played only three, maybe four will feature in the squad of sixteen.

“But we’re going in to the game confident, having scored 13 goals in two games and we’ve got a fully fit side as well.”

When asked about their switch to Sittingbourne’s ground, Perry said: “It’s been good. We’ve played one game there before Christmas and it’s been nice. The boys like it more. It makes us feel a little bit more welcome and it’s a stadium and all players at any level should like playing in stadiums and it’s no different for our boys.

“We don’t want people to come to us like it’s their Cup Final, which is always going to be a case and we’ll try to make it our fortress and win at home and that’s going to be important in our bid for promotion.”

The club have moved venues to meet the criteria for a place in the Kent Invicta League next season – a jump of two divisions.

When asked about the club’s application, Perry replied, “We haven’t heard no more. The application has gone in. We’re waiting to see. Our aim is to try to win the league and move on from there.”

Milton & Fulston United v Bexlians
Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield Quarter-Final
Saturday 12^th January 2013
Kick Off 2:15pm
at Bourne Park, Central Park Stadium, Eurolink Industrial Estate, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB