You have to be as professional as you possibly can be at this level, says Darren Anslow

BECKENHAM TOWN coach Darren Anslow admits the club have underachieved this season and wants his players to adopt a more professional attitude when they play for the club next season



Beckenham Town completed their disappointing Kent League campaign yesterday with a 2-1 defeat to bitter rivals Fisher in front of their largest crowd of the season.

Boss Jason Huntley handed goalkeeper Sam Percival his debut – the club’s official photographer should have taken snaps of the action because he was a spectator during a dominant first half.

Fisher keeper Billy Hensman, 17, who was playing with a knee injury made a string of outstanding saves during the first half, which some-how finished 1-1.

Damien Ramsamy fired in Beckenham’s goal in off the foot of the post after 12 minutes, before Hensman produced the game of his life in the scorching Bank Holiday Monday heat at Eden Park Avenue.

But Percival was beaten when Danny Wills scored a quality goal with the outside of his right boot, which screamed across the keeper to find the bottom far corner.

Fisher vastly improved during the second half and they snatched the final day victory, courtesy of Harvey Hanifan’s thumping header in the last six minutes.

Anslow, a full-time coach, feels Beckenham Town should have finished higher than eleventh-place in the Kent League, having collected 11 wins and 7 draws from their 32 games.

“Very disappointing, especially when you see what players we’ve got here. We’re underachievers,” said Anslow.

“I think in honesty everyone’s got to look at themselves in terms of the club. We’ve got to look at ourselves in terms of training, continuity.  In terms of players, they’ve got to look at their attitude and application and that will be a fair assessment on the whole picture.

“Everybody’s got to take a step back and say right what do we need to do? What needs to be done?

“It’s no good. You can be the best coach in the world, if you can’t get the players out on to a pitch and really just giving instructions before games, it’s very difficult.”

Anslow would like his club to get in shape and points to what Martin Larkin has achieved at FA Carlsberg Vase runners-up Tunbridge Wells.

“You look at what Tunbridge Wells have done,” he said. “They’ve had continuity with their squad over two or three seasons. He’s built a squad. I don’t think anyone would disagree that they’re probably not the best footballing side in the league, but they work as a unit and what he’s done there he’s got them working as a unit. You can tell that they train and work on stuff and they’re very hard to break down. They’ve got goals in them and I think that’s what you need.”

The former Sevenoaks Town boss added: “To get out of this league you need to be an organised team, have structure and a little bit of continuity. I’m not saying it can’t be done in terms of building a side to get out of it in one year, but they’ve shown in getting to Wembley continuity and keeping the same players and maybe adding two or three and training and working hard gets your rewards.”

Meanwhile, there are still a couple of Kent League fixtures to be played this season.

Tenth-placed Canterbury City, without a manager after Simon Austin’s resignation, welcome third-bottom Greenwich Borough to Winch’s Field in Herne Bay on Thursday night.

Canterbury City are inviting applications for the position of first team manager.

A club statement said: “The ideal candidate will play a key role in not only developing Canterbury City further as an established Kent League side but also working closely with other managers and coaches and with the youth section.

“Applicants should have or be training towards having appropriate qualifications preferably UEFA B along with the ability to coach and develop players at all levels and ages.

If you are interested please send covering letter and CV to club secretary John Barlow at jonjo@almonry.freeserve.co.uk.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 16 May 2013.

Tunbridge Wells welcome Corinthian to Culverden Stadium next Monday, 13 May.  Matt Longhurst’s side can finish in fourth-place if they collect the three points.

Beckenham Town had 12 sprinklers spraying water on their lush Eden Park Avenue pitch before playing Fisher yesterday and Anslow says the immaculate playing surface attracts players to the club.

“Beckenham are not in a bad position in terms of the pitch if you’re a player,” he said.

“I think that’s an attraction to come down here.  You need money to get out of this league but money buys you all your players at training. It gets all your players at a game on time and you can’t have any players walk into any club 30 minutes before kick-off.”

The Beckenham players didn’t go into their dressing room until at least an hour before kick-off yesterday, chatting in groups – instead of getting their minds focused on the big derby game.

Anslow said: “I think it was a typical end of season game between two teams where there is a slight bit of rivalry. All the players know each other. It was almost like a pre-season type of atmosphere.

“I think you draw a line under this season. That’s the bottom line.  It’s non-league so as far as I’m concerned you have to be as professional as you possibly can be at this level.

“It takes whatever it takes and that comes from the management instilling it into the players. It comes from the players in terms of their attitude.  I know that training is on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s so I don’t organise anything for a Tuesday or a Thursday. That’s my days I have my football. If I can do that with a family and kids I don’t see why a player living at home can’t do that.  That’s why they need a complete attitude adjustment.”

Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk