We're second favourites to win the league, says VCD Athletic boss Tony Russell

VCD ATHLETIC manager Tony Russell says his side are second favourites to win the Ryman League Division One North title.

The Crayford based club moved five points clear at the top of the table following their 2-1 win away to Chatham Town last night.

Striker Michael Power scored his 12^th goal for the club to slide Vickers into a 30^th minute lead, before midfielder Lea Dawson crashed a right-footed volley into the top right-hand corner from 22-yards with nine minutes remaining.

Chatham Town attacker Ade Yusuff scored a 30-yard screamer, which flew into the top left-hand corner, but Russell’s men held on to claim a deserved win.

Vickers have eight games left to play, starting with a trip to Harlow Town tomorrow.

Harlow Town moved into the impressive facilities at the 3,000 capacity Harlow Arena in 2006 at a cost of £3.5m but spent £350,000 to lay a 3G pitch during the summer of 2013.

“I’ve been over to watch them, a lovely set-up, lovely pitch.  They don’t play as much but they’re a very good side. They’ve got a lot of money,” said Russell.

“We’ll get the boys in on Friday – they’ll do their warm down. We’ve got a lot of games.

“We’ve got three girls and they’ll do a sports massage on them.

“I said to the boys, it is a bit of a commitment and it seems a bit much at this level but you set standards. To me it’s not what level you’re at, it’s what you do at that level.”

Russell takes his side to Ware next Tuesday, before welcoming second-placed Witham Town to Oakwood on Saturday 5^th April, which as things stand tonight will be the club’s biggest ever game as a Ryman League club.

“No it ain’t! Because the next two are massive, Harlow and Ware away,” said Russell, who has played three more games than Witham Town.

“Ware have completely changed their side. We went to watch Ware and went ‘oh dear!’

“They’ve got a new chairman and a new manager and a whole new team and they’re lively so we’ve got two tough away games.

“We’ve got eight games left, four at home and four away. Two tough away games to go.  We’ll get them out of the way first because there’s no point (hyping up the Witham game).

“If you lose two on the bounce and Witham win – it doesn’t matter what you do when you get to Witham. 

“You win the two games, they’ve got to go to Needham Market on a Thursday night before they come to us and that is a hard place to go, let me tell you!”

Russell added: “If you get turned over there and then you come to us, then it’s on but we’ve got to set ourselves up for that.

“Saturday is going to be really hard but I’m going into it more confident as long as the boys are fit.”

Russell hopes Witham Town run out of steam by the time they arrive at Oakwood.

He said: “We’re second favourites. If Witham win their games in hand they’ll go clear of us but they’ve got to beat us first.

“That’s what I said before the game (at Chatham last night). It’s such a big game because they won’t play and they’ve got so many games in hand on us.

“We’re patching people up and getting them out there and they’ve got to play three more games than us so they’ve got a tough run-in but all we can do are our jobs.

“What I’m pleased about, forget the result last night, I know it sounds stupid, but I try to not concentrate too much on that.

“We’re back to what we was doing at the beginning of the season. We’ve had three games this week and we’re back to controlling a game of football.

“For how good Chatham are and they’re an excellent side, I thought we were the better side and I thought we looked more patient and that’s a big compliment to the boys because I respect Chatham a lot and I think they’re a very good side and they’ve got to play Witham and they’ll give Witham a good game. Don’t worry about that!”

Visit VCD Athletic’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/vcdathleticfc

Harlow Town v VCD Athletic

Ryman League Division One North

Saturday 29^th March 2014

Kick Off 3:00pm

At The Harlow Arena, Elizabeth Way, Harlow, Essex CM19 5BE