We want to establish ourselves in the Ryman League, says Hythe Town boss Scott Porter

HYTHE TOWN boss Scott Porter says he wants his mid-table side to begin their climb up the table, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Reachfields Stadium club lie in eleventh place in the Ryman League Division One South table with a record of five wins and two draws from thirteen games and they have scored 21 goals and conceded the same number at the other end.

Hythe were knocked out of the Ryman League Cup by Corinthian-Casuals on penalties a couple of weeks ago, and return to Tolworth looking to collect three points on Tuesday night.

Casuals have improved immensely this season and go into the game sitting in fifth place with seven wins and two draws from thirteen games and a win for Hythe will put them only three points behind them.

Porter said: “Obviously we know about them.  We made a lot of changes that game and we had a lot of players out.

“It wasn’t our priority, like I said before, you’d rather go out of that League Cup at the first hurdle than get to the semi-final when you’ve done all the hard work.  We’re out of it, we’ll concentrate on the league.

“We’ll go up there, they’re up the table and we play better against team’s up the table.

“We want to climb up the table as much as we can and close the gap on the teams in the play-off’s.

“Obviously they’re up there, so we’ll be looking to come away with anything really.”

When asked about life in the Ryman League, Porter, who guided the club to the Kent League title and the FA Cup First Round last season, replied, “Good, we’re enjoying it, we’re coming to terms with it.  We’ve changed the personnel around a little bit, which is what I said I would do after ten-twelve games.

“I’ve brought in Nick Reeves (a defender formerly with Sittingbourne, Maidstone United and Leatherhead), and we’ve got rid of Lloyd Blackman and Lee Winfield’s left (and has signed for Kent Invicta League side Ashford United).  I’m looking to bring in another attacking midfielder.

“We’re enjoying the standard, the new grounds and the better facilities and the better football and long may it continue.

“We want to push as much as we can do, up that league, to establish ourselves in the Ryman South.”

Meanwhile, the club were knocked out of The FA Carlsberg Trophy yesterday, losing 3-2 away to Ryman Premier League side Bury Town.  Two goals from Craig Thompson couldn’t complete the fight-back for Porter’s men.

Folkestone Invicta and Thamesmead Town (and Margate and Wealdstone, who replay at Wealdstone’s ground on Tuesday night) join Conference South sides Bromley, Dartford, Dover Athletic, Tonbridge Angels and Welling United in Monday’s FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round Draw. 

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk  

Corinthian-Casuals  v  Hythe Town
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 8^th November 2011
Kick Off 7:45pm
At King Georges Field, Queen Mary Close, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surrey KT6 7NA