We've got a platform to build on, says Thamesmead Town boss Keith McMahon

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says he is targeting four points over the Bank Holiday weekend, writes Stephen McCartney.


Mead suffered a 4-0 opening day defeat to Heybridge Swifts, but they bounced back with a dramatic last-gasp draw at Brentwood Town last night, through Dean Standen’s flicked volley with virtually the last kick of the game.

The game was played on the big pitch at Aveley’s Mill Field ground, owing to pitch and floodlighting issues at the Brentwood Arena, but McMahon was pleased with his side’s battling qualities in a dour encounter against last season’s Ryman League Division One North play-off finalists.

McMahon takes his side to Great Wakering Rovers on Saturday, before welcoming Romford to Bayliss Avenue on Bank Holiday Monday.

“You’ve got to be looking at four points, a draw and a win,” said McMahon.  “Six would be brilliant but we’re off and running now.  We’ve got a platform to build on.

“Not many people are going to go away to Brentwood and get results – we have!  Deservedly, hard-fought, not the best spectacle, but sometimes they’re not but I was more pleased with that.

McMahon added: “We’ve got a point and obviously with bodies starting to come back fit.  Bradley (Killick) came on after a bad ankle.  Hopefully Danny Penny will be back on Saturday.  He had the flu.  To be fair the whole club’s had the flu.  You can hear my voice, we’ve had a lot of people ill, but we’ve all done really well and we’re getting fitter as the games are coming.

“Hopefully we can go and get some points at the weekend.

“Great Wakering is difficult but we’re at home to Romford so hopefully we can pick some points up there.”

Thamesmead’s supporters in the paltry crowd of only 35 will hope their side turn on the style this weekend as they endured a game of low quality against Brentwood last night.

“Supporters’ don’t keep me in a job,” said McMahon.  “Listen, when you’ve been on a run like we have last year and we lost on Saturday, the most important thing after Saturday was for us not to lose and I wanted to see a battling performance.

“The football quality we’ve got in the football will come.  That ain’t an issue but we had issues with people really rolling their sleeves up and put a performance in for Thamesmead Town and me.

“Every single player put a shift in and we’ve got to build from that.

“I’m more happy with that then us playing some of the free flowing football we’ve played throughout the years’ and win comfortably.

“That is a massive, hard ground point we’ve earnt out there.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk  

Great Wakering Rovers  v  Thamesmead Town
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 27^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Burroughs Park, Little Wakering Hall Lane, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0HH