Kentish Football 
We won't lie down as we want to meet our own targets, insists Vickers boss Ricky Bennett
Herne Bay can snatch the title if they win at Oakwood and league leaders Hythe Town lose at Tunbridge Wells tomorrow.
It has the makings of an exciting day as the Kent League title race comes to a gripping climax.
”Hopefully it’s a good crowd, I would have thought Herne Bay will bring a lot of support down,” said Bennett, a builder, who had just completed his working day on the eve of the make-or-break weekend.
”Yes, we have got a say (in who wins the title) but we’ll be doing our best to win the game. We won’t lie down that’s for sure.
”It’s down to Simon (Halsey) and his lads to beat us if they want a chance to win the league and Scott Porter and Hythe will be looking to do the same.”
VCD Athletic are guaranteed a creditable third-place finish no matter what happens tomorrow.
But the club, in truth, shouldn’t be playing Kent League football at all. The Crayford based outfit were demoted out of the Ryman League after just one season due to controversial ground grading issues last summer.
Manager Paul Foley opted for a change of scenery and moved to Chatham Town, taking numerous players with him to Maidstone Road, whilst Bennett was appointed manager after managing the reserves, whilst Andy Silk opted to stay loyal to the club to assist his former Cray Wanderers team mate.
“If you would have said to me at the start we’d finish third and got to the semi-final of the League Cup and the quarter-final of the Kent Senior Trophy we would have bit your hand off,” said Bennett.
”When we sat down in the summer me and Silky had two names on a bit of paper.
”We’re also a little bit disappointed, two months back we were maybe in with a shout (for the Kent League title) but too many draws have cost us unfortunately.”
Vickers have won 13, drawn 13 and lost only three of their league games this season – and Bennett admitted drawing too many games has proved costly.
He said: “It’s one of those things. Realistically if we could have turned half of those (draws) into wins we probably would have been in the same situation as Herne Bay and Hythe at this stage of the season but with a very in-experienced side, I can’t argue.
”We didn’t think we’d be challenging to be honest but from that point of view I think we’ve done very well.”
Nervous Herne Bay snatched a last-gasp winner to beat Holmesdale 2-1 at Winch’s Field on Easter Monday to keep two points behind Hythe with only 90 minutes of football left to play.
When asked if he thinks Herne Bay will be nervous at Oakwood tomorrow, Bennett replied, “Yes, I’m sure they would be but it’s how they deal with it on the day. I’m sure they’ll probably have a decent support behind them. I know Simon well and he’ll get into his players, he’ll be telling them exactly what they need to do.
”It’s down to us to be on our own game. We’ve got our own targets to achieve so obviously we want to win the game.”
When asked what those targets were, Bennett said, “A while ago we set ourselves some targets. We wanted to score over 50 goals and not concede more than 30 (Vickers have scored 49 and conceded 30). We didn’t want the amount of draws we’ve had and we want to finish with more wins than draws.
”We’re instilling good habits, especially into the young ‘uns, that’s how we’re looking at it.”
Bennett admitted he is searching for experienced players for next season’s campaign.
”You start thinking about it towards the end of every season about next season and we’ve had a chat,” he said.
”We know what we’re looking to do next season. I think our downfall has been the lack of experience this season. Some of the youngsters are brilliant with massive potential. You know what it’s like, the nitty gritty of the winter months against the big, strong sides, you need the experience to see you through and we’ve missed that but you can’t ask for any more from these sets of lads.”
Bennett reflected on his first campaign as a first team manager and said, “I’ve enjoyed it but I think that’s got to do with the people I’ve got around me really – Silky, Adam Heaslewood and Burky have been superb on the coaching and management side of things and all the players we’ve had, we’ve not had any problems with one player all season.
”The people in the club are honest and willing to help and it’s a good time at the club even though we haven’t won anything and we’ll be in the Kent League again, it’s a good feeling around the club.”
VCD Athletic will, as always, be tipped to be one of the club’s going for the title next season.
Bennett added, “Well, you don’t know what happens in the summer do you, with maybe new teams coming down and new teams coming in. There’s all sort of rumours and talk so until you know what you’re coming up against you can’t really say.
”People will say because you have come third that puts you within the front- runners I suppose.”
Herne Bay boss, Simon Halsey, meanwhile, is hoping the footballing gods will be wearing blue and white come five o’clock tomorrow afternoon.
”One game of football and as much as it can happen at VCD it could happen at the Culverden and what will be will be,” he said.
”I’m just pleased we’ve kept it going to the last game of the season. We’ve lost one (game) at home all season and we go away to VCD and hopefully we’ll have one loss away from home all season – so what will be will be.”
Bennett and Tunbridge Wells boss Martin Larkin have said today that they want to win their final games of the season.
Halsey is desperate to win at Oakwood tomorrow, and for Wells to stun champions-elect Hythe Town at Culverden Stadium, to bring the title to Winch’s Field for the first time since 1998 and with it promotion into the Ryman League for the very first time.
Halsey said: “That’s the good thing about it. Two opposing teams have something to play for. VCD can still finish third. I don’t think anyone can catch them and they have a say where the title goes and it gives Tunbridge Wells a massive lift to have a big crowd at their place and hopefully their players will lift themselves to see where the Kent League title goes.”
Whatever happens in Kent tomorrow, you can guarantee a nervous two hours with text messages and phone calls being exchanged between Crayford and Tunbridge Wells.
Halsey, who began his coaching career at VCD Athletic, added, “Both games could be 0-0 with 89 minutes on the clock and someone gets a penalty or a deflected goal off a defenders’ knee. We don’t know what will happen, that’s football, that’s why we love the game. We never know what’s going to happen.
”I know, I keep saying it, but what will be will be come ten-to-five on Saturday.”
Visit VCD Athletic’s website: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/vcdathleticfc0102/
Visit Herne Bay’s website: www.hernebayfc.net
VCD Athletic v Herne Bay
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Saturday 30th April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd