We're at home so we must win first leg, vows Corinthian boss Tony Sitford

CORINTHIAN boss Tony Sitford says he wants his side to gain an advantage over Fisher by winning their home first leg tie on Tuesday night.


The two sides meet each other at Gay Dawn Farm in the Macron Kent League Cup Quarter-Final and Sitford, 72, wants to travel to Champion Hill for the second leg on 23 January defending a lead.

He said: “I’m trying to win it (the first leg), that’s how we’ll approach it.  We’re at home so we want to win it.  It’s as simple as that!

“We played them quite a little while ago, they’re a very good footballing side, very fit, competitive, play very good football, so hopefully it will be one very good Cup tie and that we come out on top.

“At the end of the day you’ve got to win (the first leg) before you have got the advantage so let’s hope we go and win it!”

Sitford, meanwhile, revealed he will be missing a couple of players for Tuesday night’s first leg tie against Steve Firkins’ side.

“We’ve got a couple on holiday and one or two injuries so we’ll wait until tomorrow night to see if they’re fit.  We’ve got two away, Chris Kinnear and Jamie Billings.”

Corinthian came away from runaway league leaders Herne Bay with a 2-0 defeat on Saturday as Simon Halsey’s side clinched the points courtesy of goals from Ben Brown and Ashley Baverstock. 

Herne Bay are now twelve points clear at the top of the Kent Hurlimann Football League table with thirteen league games remaining, whilst Corinthian sit in tenth place with 24 points from 18 games.

Sitford said: “I’m quite pleased.  We played very well actually.  They got two goals, a defensive mistake.  The effort and work-rate and some of the football we played was very good indeed.

“They’re top of the table and they’re not a bad side.  They’re unbeaten.  I can’t tell what’s happened at other teams but they played well against us but we played very well and I’m very pleased.

“We hit the post twice.  The keeper made a couple of great saves.  I don’t think they put us over an immense amount of pressure.  They’re a very good, organised, disciplined side, that’s why they’re unbeaten.”

Corinthian return to league action on Saturday, with a home clash against ninth-placed VCD Athletic, which must be disappointing their manager Ricky Bennett.

“That’s another good little side,” said Sitford.  “It should be a good game.   All the teams at this level now, there’s not many teams that are better than each other.  Any team, on a given day, can beat each other. 

“If we turn up and play we can win it.  If they turn up and play they can win it.  It’s one of those things.  That’s how close it is.”


Corinthian  v  Fisher
Macron Kent League Cup Quarter-Final First Leg
Tuesday 10^th January 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Longfield, DA3 8LY