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Beckenham come up short again

BECKENHAM Town's assistant manager, Jason Taylor insists the Eden Park Avenue outfit should have finished higher in the Go Travel Kent League premier division this season, writes Stephen McCartney.

Tuesday night's 6-3 home defeat to bogey side Thamesmead Town meant they had to settle for a disappointing tenth place in the table but Taylor admits the team have let themselves and the club down.

However, Beckenham did reach their first Kent Senior Trophy Final since 1982, but yet again came up short.  

Kieron Collins' 25th minute headed winner sealed Thamesmead Town their second successive trophy, having won the Kent League Cup at the end of last season as Beckenham came away from Whitstable Town's Belmont ground empty handed.

But goals from Phil Gallagher and Steven Evans a week later saw Beckenham's reserves land the Kent League Reserve Division Cup, beating neighbours Bromley 2-1 at Chatham Town's Maidstone Road ground.

Having abolished their amateur status this season Taylor is bitterly disappointed their "highly paid" players haven't given the club a higher finish in a 16 team league.

When asked if he was happy with their tenth place finish, Taylor stormed: "Not good enough.  There's no doubt about that, we should have been in the top five but since we reached the final of the Kent Senior Trophy  we've just not been good enough.

"We just have to face the facts we've not been good enough.  We've let in too many goals and our attitude hasn't been right and that's why we've ended up in tenth place."

When teams reach a cup-final they tend to take their feet of the pedal and this is the case for Beckenham according to Taylor.

"The players we've got here should have been in the top five," he said.  "We got to the cup final and took our eye of the ball and never recovered from it really.

"I think we were waiting for the cup final.  It's understandable players do that but they are good players and they should act a bit more professional.  

"They are getting well paid to play for this club and I expect a bit more from them."

Taylor, however, hinted there will be additions to the playing squad for next season.

"We have to look to add to the squad all the time," he said.  "We've come up short again and we will be adding to it, without a shadow of a doubt."

There have been success stories at Eden Park Avenue this season.  The club boasts the best playing surface in the league and groundsman Ian Muir must take credit for his efforts.  Wing-back Nathan Paul has also been a consistent performer and strikers Lewis Wood (20 goals) and Paul Vines (19) are regularly on the scoresheet.

"We've shown signs this year that we can play but on occasions when it mattered we haven't been able to do it and we have to address that - it has to be better," fumed Taylor.

And who's Taylor's player of the season?  "I think Nathan (Paul).  He's been our most consistent player all year.  I'd give it to him."