20thfeb05

Thamesmead want to secure cup double

TITLE favourites Ramsgate ended Thamesmead Town's unbeaten mini-run on Saturday when former Dover Athletic striker Shaun Welford headed home the only goal of the game with five minutes left in the Go Travel Kent League clash at Bayliss Avenue, writes Stephen McCartney.

This set-back, however, has probably finished off Thamesmead Town's title hopes for another year - they rose up the table after they collected ten points from their last four games before Ramsgate's visit - but their season is still not over.

Although the Rams completed a league double over Thamesmead - thanks to Welford's eleventh goal in only 12 games - the South East Londoners can still complete their own unique double over the Southwood Stadium club.

Both clubs are still to meet each other another three times next month in the form of a two-legged Kent League Cup semi-final and also a place in the Kent Senior Trophy final is up for grabs as well.

Thamesmead manager Paul Blade is looking for his side to bounce back from their two league defeats to the Rams and retain the Kent League Cup, which they won in Folkestone last May, beating Cray Wanderers - as well as lift the Kent Senior Trophy, for the first time since 2001-2002.

He said: "We won the Kent League Cup last year and we want to retain that as well.  There's no way we are going to give that up likely and we want to win the Kent Senior Trophy as well.

"I want to win every game I play in or am involved in.  I want to win the two trophies.  There's no point entering them if you don't want to win them."

Before they clash with the Rams again, in their Kent Senior Trophy clash at Bayliss Avenue in two weeks time, Deal Town - 1-0 winners at Erith Town on Saturday - visit the banks of the Thames on Saturday before they make the short trip to Eden Park Avenue on Saturday to play Beckenham Town, whose five match unbeaten run was ended by Maidstone United at Bourne Park (3-1) on Saturday.

Blade's side are fifteen points behind leaders Herne Bay but he is looking to finish as high up in the table with eleven league games left.

He promised: "I'll keep going, accumulate as many wins and points as we can and we'll see where we are at the end of the season."

Blade has done well to recover their hopes of silverware having lost many players during the first weeks of the season.

He added: "Our start of the season killed us but we are in this to win it and if it isn't this year, we'll work even harder to win it next year.

"We haven't made mistakes - we've just lost too many players.  From Tuesday night we've lost five players.  I don't know many other teams - you might lose one or two - but to lose five players from Tuesday - you've got to have one hell of a squad and financially the club can't do it."

Thamesmead Town v Deal Town
Go Travel Kent League Premier Division
Tuesday 22nd February 2005
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead