We're at rock bottom, admits Erith Town boss Tony Russell

ERITH TOWN manager Tony Russell admits to feeling deflated going into their FA Carlsberg Vase trip to Reading Town on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.



Russell, 32, felt “livid and embarrassed” after his side put in a lacklustre performance as they crashed to a 2-1 home defeat to Kent Invicta League side Lewisham Borough in the Third Round of the London Senior Cup earlier in the week.

It was their second home defeat of the season, having lost to high-flying Tunbridge Wells in the Kent Hurlimann Football League last weekend.

Russell said: “Both (games were) similar in the sense of lacklustre, just no oomph, no desire.  Balls were going in the box and no one’s got a desire to get on the end of them.  It’s just pretty little football with no end product.”

Russell warned that he is ready to wield the axe if performances like that continue.

He said: “For the first time I’m scratching my head.  I’ve played for managers who have gone out and got loads of players’ in and I’ve never really done that.  I’ve always kept a nucleus of the side together and built but there’s only so far you can go, there’s only so much you can do with people.”

Erith Town go into Saturday’s trip to Berkshire sitting in ninth place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League with five wins and a draw from nine games.

Reading Town, meanwhile, are in seventh place in the top-flight of the Hellenic League with 8 wins and 4 draws from 17 games.
Russell said: “I went to watch them, we’ve had someone else to watch them, so I know what they’re about.  They’re lively but it’s not really about them, it’s about what Erith Town turns up.

“The problem is we’ve got is that the form we’re going in at is rock bottom, even though there’s four or five coming into the team, it’s still not good.

“The atmosphere ain’t great, so it’s hard.

“I don’t believe what I’ve got in that dressing room at the moment.  I hope Reading Town came to watch sus (against Lewisham Borough).  Every Vase and FA Cup game we’ve played, the game before we’ve been absolutely awful.  The opposing team said ‘we’ve come to watch you and we really fancied our chances, you weren’t like that the other week!’

“I’m hoping it’s an omen - that we’ll buck up our ideas.”

Russell added: “I think at this stage of the FA Vase (the final) is a long way away and you win this one and it becomes really serious.”

Meanwhile, Erith Town are delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Kidby as the club’s commercial manager.

A club statement said: “Simon was previously secretary of Erith & Dartford Town but left his post recently.  Several clubs were hoping to secure his services and we are delighted he has come to Erith Stadium.

“Simon will be using his local contacts to raise the profile of the club locally and increase commercial activity and revenue.”

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtown.com  

Reading Town  v  Erith Town
FA Carlsberg Vase Second Round
Saturday 19^th November 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Scours Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire RG30 6AY