Kentish Football 
Whoever holds their nerves the longest will win the game, says Hollands & Blair boss Paul Piggott
The Gillingham-based side lock horns with Lydd Town at Ashford United’s Homelands Stadium, with both sides on a good run of form.
Lydd Town climbed into ninth-place in the Kent Invicta League table following their comfortable 4-0 win over Crockenhill on Good Friday, to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games.
The Lydders leapfrogged over their opponents, courtesy of second half goals from midfielder Mark Willis and an eighteen-minute hat-trick from striker Steve Harris.
Second-placed Hollands & Blair eased to a clinical 3-0 victory over nearby Sutton Athletic, courtesy of goals from Ricky Freeman, Louis Valencia and former Herne Bay midfielder Michael Jenner.
The Gillingham-based outfit are thirteen games unbeaten and are now only three points behind Phoenix Sports – who knocked Ashford United out of the title race with a 3-0 home win, courtesy of goals from Dan Parish, Marcos Perona and Dean Kearley – but Phoenix have two games in hand on Piggott’s side.
Attention now turns to Monday’s showpiece final, with Hollands & Blair favourites as the two club’s aim to become only the second winners to lift the trophy.
“We are a side that seems to get stronger as the season goes on,” said Piggott.
”We’ve got players who are hitting form and fighting fit all at the same time, which is good for us really.”
Reflecting on their 3-0 win at Sutton Athletic on Good Friday, the former Lordswood boss admitted: “We weren’t at our greatest to be fair. We were 3-0 up at half-time and it was probably the only three chances we had in the game. It shows that we were quite clinical and we kept a clean sheet.
“We didn’t play as well as we could have done, but that’s down to Sutton. They make it hard for teams to win games of football. They don’t concede many goals and it showed that on Friday.”
Piggott knows his side must win all of their last five games to stand any chance of snatching the title away from favourites Phoenix Sports.
He said: “Well we’re a few more points behind where we’d like to be. Phoenix have got themselves in a great position, but as we keep telling ourselves over the last few weeks, all we can do is keep winning our games and hope they slip up.
“We still need to play them once, but they need to drop points, but it’s no good them dropping points if we don’t keep winning our league games, so that’s what we’re looking to do.”
Piggott, meanwhile, says he is expecting a tough game against Dave Smith’s side tomorrow.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s going to be a tough game, like any final as you know,” he said.
“They’ve taken a couple of points of us in a league game at our place a couple of weeks ago, so we know they’re quite good.
“They’re there to win the final as much as what we are. It’s going to be a tough game for us.
“I think it will be a tight one because they’re a big, strong side, who have done well since the new manager came in. Dave’s got them going and he’s got them on a run of wins. It’s a tough game and it’s a tough game for them as well!”
But Piggott added: “We’d like to think we’re going into it on good form as well.”
When asked how the final will be won tomorrow, Piggott said: “Well, like any final, I’m afraid, it’s whoever holds their nerves the longest. Nerves do get to players on a day like that, understandable. It’s whoever holds their nerves and holds the least fear on the day will go out and win the game.”
Despite there being six Kent Invicta League games on the day of the final, Piggott insists his team will be well supported.
“Any team that gets to the final you’d like to think you’ve got a few people going,” he said.
“We’re always supported quite well on days like that, which is good.”
Piggott will relish playing the game at a Ryman League ranked stadium.
He said: “I think we take it for granted because Ashford are in our league. It’s a lovely stadium, a lovely surface. We get a chance to play their in a league game. We went there and the pitch was immaculate and it’s a lovely place to play a final, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Piggott revealed that Sean Hetterley has been ruled out of the final after pulling his thigh and Lydd Town boss Smith revealed that he has an understrength side due to not signing new players in time.
“We’ve got an injury, Sean Hetterley is injured, he’s pulled his thigh, which is a blow for him because he played in this final last year for Bly and he was desperate to play in it again, but we just have to go out and win the final for him.”
And speaking about Smith’s team selection headache, Piggott added: “Well if he’s got players missing, then of course any team who have players missing will help the opposition, but it gives an opportunity for players to come in and prove to the manager they deserve to be in that starting eleven.
“It’s a cup final. Everyone’s going to be up for it. Whoever holds their nerves the most is the team that will go on and win the game.”
When asked whether Hollands & Blair have the ground ready to host Kent League football if they do clinch promotion at the end of the season, Piggott replied: “We don’t know! We are waiting to be ground graded. We are still waiting to hear for a date at the moment, which no one seems to know. No one knows what the criteria is and what the dates are. It’s a little bit up in the air at the moment with the steps and the structure of the leagues.
“But personally, to be honest with you, I want to get my head down and try and win the league. I let the committee and everyone else worry about the side whether we can go or not.
“I’ll be desperately gutted if we don’t go up if we do win it because if we are to go and win it we’ve done something special because Phoenix were so many points in front of us.
“We’re just trying to get as many wins as we can until the end of the season and see where that takes us.”
Visit Hollands & Blair’s website: www.hollandsandblair.co.uk
Hollands & Blair v Lydd Town
Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy (Sponsored by Sandom Robinson) Final
Easter Monday 1 April 2013
Kick Off 2:00pm
at Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd